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3GSM World Congress: Real Beats Apple to Mobile Devices

RealNetworks has announced today in Cannes, France that it has software solutions, which it is calling RealSystems Mobile for distributing cell phone and PDA video available immediately — and, like QuickTime 6, that includes MPEG-4 support. Real may have a substantial head start on Apple’s alliance with Ericsson and Sun in the battle for the mobile market. Click ‘Read More’ for the full story.


RealNetworks has announced today in Cannes, France that it has software solutions, which it is calling RealSystems Mobile for distributing cell phone and PDA video available immediately — and, like QuickTime 6, that includes MPEG-4 support. Real may have a substantial head start on Apple’s alliance with Ericsson and Sun in the battle for the mobile market. Click ‘Read More’ for the full story.

RealSystem Producer has been enhanced to target content at mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops, Mobile Server is interoperable with 3GPP compliant content as well as MPEG-4 and MPEG4IP, Mobile Gateway is a proxy-cache solution for optimizing content to mobile users, and RealOne Player for mobile devices plays back 3GPP and RealAudio/Video content. MPEG-4 playback is optional: is Real also involved in licensing disputes over MPEG-4, if less openly than Apple? Also interesting: Ericsson appears to be siding with Apple, while Real lists Intel and Nokia among its partners, though Sun is on the list as well. Real also intends to provide the actual content to partners, via its RealOne subscription service, including networks from CNN to Animal Channel with different international lineups and 75,000 digital music tracks. Cnet notes that cell operators remain reluctant to provide these kind of services, and while Real’s software is available now, end users are unlikely to see Real products until the end of the year, though providers like Cingular, Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T may be onboard by then, and AT&T has already given RealSystem Mobile a trial run.

As we reported last week, Apple’s strategy for QuickTime clearly includes wireless phones and PDAs. Details of the deal forged with Sun and Ericsson are sketchy at best, however, and the uncertainty over MPEG-4 licensing terms means that MPEG-4 QuickTime software, other than the QuickTime Streaming Server, is months away, presumably delaying QuickTime cell phones, as well.

Will Apple be able to keep pace with Real in the mobile marketplace? Stay tuned to PowerPage for the latest.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.