Microsoft Launches Windows Powered Smartphone Software

REDMOND, Wash., and LONDON — Oct. 22, 2002 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of the Microsoft® Smartphone software to a crowd of more than 500 mobile operators, hardware and software vendors, customers, and members of the press gathered in London for the launch celebration. The Microsoft Windows® Powered Smartphone is a revolutionary mobile phone software platform that allows for more than just talking on the phone. Smartphone software keeps people in touch and entertained with unparalleled features in small, stylish mobile phones. Mobile operators worldwide can plan Smartphone offerings to subscribers, and further innovation on the Smartphone platform is likely to come from hardware vendors and software developers.

Orange SA is the first mobile operator to bring Smartphone-based handsets to market with availability of the Orange SPV (Sound, Pictures, Video) in the United Kingdom beginning Oct. 28. In the United States, AT&T Wireless announced plans to bring Smartphone-based handsets to market by mid-2003.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the third-largest handset vendor in the world, today announced a cross-platform commitment to Windows Powered mobile devices, including Smartphone.

“Microsoft has spent the last 27 years creating software that improves the way people live, work and communicate,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Now, we’re able to deliver a familiar and powerful software experience on a mobile phone to people around the world. Smartphone redefines what people can expect from their phone, offering them voice, e-mail, MSN® Messenger or Short Message Service (SMS). We’re very excited to bring the Smartphone to market.”

The Windows Powered Smartphone takes mobile communications to the next level by offering the following key features:

• More than just talk. Above everything else, Smartphone software is designed for a great phone experience. With handsets exhibiting a small, stylish form factor designed for one-handed operation, long battery life, hardware dial pad, and easy-to-use phone features such as caller ID, conference calling and more, Smartphone devices are everything mobile phones should be and more. In addition, Smartphone allows users to choose their preferred method of communication — voice, e-mail, MSN Messenger or SMS — as well as enabling them to access information and services at any time.
• Easily accessible Outlook. Smartphone software redefines the mobile phone experience and extends usage beyond voice and text. The intuitive software enables seamless multitasking and provides a great companion to Outlook® on a mobile phone to manage contacts, calendar and tasks in a mobile environment.
• Personalization options. Smartphone devices equipped with high-resolution color screen and the ability to play digital media and mobile games make them outstanding mobile devices for work or for play. Personalization options such as ring tones, color schemes and home screens, mobile access to the Internet, and new mobile services provide users with a unique and thoroughly entertaining mobile phone experience.

Opportunity for Innovation

As Smartphone heightens the expectations of mobile phone users everywhere, support for the platform continues to grow in the mobile phone industry, creating an upsurge of innovation on the Smartphone platform from mobile operators and hardware and software vendors. As the first Smartphone on the market that combines features of a mobile phone with rich Windows Powered software and a unique set of services from Orange, the Orange SPV is a sleek, first-of-its-kind mobile phone that represents a giant step in the wireless industry.

Jean-François Pontal, chief executive officer of Orange, said, “With the SPV, we now are able to deliver a suite of advanced services well before the advent of third-generation networks, including photo messaging, advanced messaging services, video streaming and access to high-quality information and content, even across the Web. The SPV is a key component of bringing these services to life and making them easier for our customers to access. It is the first phone that will help drive Orange toward its predicted data revenue target of 25 percent of total revenues by 2005.”

Mobile operators including AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Telefonica Moviles, Telstra Corporation, Vodafone Group, WIND, Hong Kong CSL Limited, Singapore Telecommunication Limited and Starhub Pte Ltd also have agreed to provide support for Smartphone-based handsets on their networks or are currently involved in Smartphone trials.

Hardware manufacturers building Smartphone-based handsets include Samsung, Sendo Ltd., Compal Electronics Inc. and HTC Corp.

“Following on the success of Pocket PC 2002 and the more recent Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition for converged wireless handheld devices, Microsoft has added to its strong mobile portfolio with the introduction of Smartphone. With Smartphone, Microsoft has created the most advanced feature-rich platform ever made available for a mobile handset. This combined with the Texas Instruments OMAP 133Mhz processor, SD and multimedia card expansion, all built within an attractive form factor, makes for an extremely compelling product,” said Andy Brown, research manager for EMEA mobile computing at IDC.

The completion and availability of Microsoft Smartphone software provides an opportunity for independent software vendors (ISVs) to innovate and develop applications for the new platform with familiar Windows development tools. Today at the launch event, more than 20 vendors are demonstrating new Smartphone-based products that range from games to productivity applications. In addition, vendors developing applications for the Smartphone platform will be provided the opportunity to participate and be certified through Microsoft’s Mobile2Market program. The Mobile2Market program provides technical and marketing support to software vendors for the developing, testing and distribution of network-ready applications.

Consumers and business customers will both benefit from the innovation that results from the release of the Smartphone software.

About Smartphone

Microsoft Smartphone software delivers a personal and powerful mobile phone experience offering customers multiple ways to keep in touch, whether via voice, text or a combination of the two. Optimal for work or for play, Smartphone allows users to access their most essential corporate or personal data at any time from any location on a brilliant color display. Smartphone users also have the luxury of getting their Smartphone up and running with personal and corporate data in two or fewer minutes, due to a customized over-the-air configuration process Microsoft designed to alleviate the hassle in buying and configuring a new phone.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.