The industry reflects, looks ahead

E.L. Tay, president, Motorola Singapore

	E.L. Tay, Motorola
	By creating a complete platform where the mobile device is open and integrated with the Internet, everyone in the mobile ecosystem--the OEMs and carriers, the developers and the consumers--will benefit.

Q. The debate on open source is...
Tay: ...Useful for the industry as it provides a starting point for innovation, especially for the mobile phone industry, as manufacturers and mobile operators spend a significant amount of time acting as system integrators of disparate suites of technology from multiple providers. This integration effort distracts these companies from the real task at hand: creating innovative and differentiating features for their customers.

As Motorola has long been an advocate of open software, we have been active around the world in creating, participating and supporting development communities for mobile platforms. We have a rich ecosystem of hundred of thousands of applications and services partners in the mobile space. Therefore, we have just recently joined with Google and other members of the broader Linux community to form the Open Handset Alliance, to advance the development of a connected, vertically integrated Mobile Linux-based platform and a rich set of connected Java applications. With Android, the Alliance has created a complete, open, and freely available next-generation mobile platform.

Today, both the cost and the complexity of mobile software development are on the rise, even as mobile hardware costs are dropping. By creating a complete platform where the mobile device is open and integrated with the Internet, everyone in the mobile ecosystem--the OEMs and carriers, the developers and the consumers--will benefit.

Moving ahead in 2008

 

 

1.	Socializing goes big in 2008
2.	The urge to merge in 2008
3.	New chips on the block
4.	Web threats dominate security landscape
5.	Battle for the mobile platform space in 2008
6.	The industry reflects, looks ahead

Looking back on 2007

 

 

1.	Looking back at 2007 with envy
2.	Predictions that went right and wrong
3.	2007's movers and shakers

What do you remember as the biggest industry news for 2007?
One of the most impactful pieces of news for the telecoms and broadband space has been the inclusion of WiMax into the IMT-2000 family of technologies by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Prior to this development, many of the regulators were sitting on the fence with regards to the award of licenses, especially in the 2.5GHz band.

Recent decisions to open up the spectrum and award WiMAX licenses to both incumbents and greenfield operators has been greatly influenced by the ITU's decision. This not only brings the promise of broadband connections and services to a larger cross section of the population but allows for an evolutionary leap in technology leading the way to more user-involved participation in the development of Web-based content.

Work-life balance is...
... The expression "work-life balance" was created to help explain the unhealthy life choices that many people are making; they were choosing to neglect other important areas of their lives such as family, friends and hobbies, in favor of work-related chores and goals.

WLB is at the heart of Motorola as a responsible and caring employer, and through HR policies and wellness activities, we encourage our staff to strive for a healthy balance between work and private life.

But, at the end of the day, work-life balance is in the mind and body of people, not something an organization can enforce. The individual has to decide what work-life balance means to him or her, what practical compromise they need to make and then how to leverage on the work-life balance programs made available by the company they work for.

Name three hot technologies to watch in 2008.
Especially after the mentioned ITU decision, we expect to see more decisions towards WiMAX network implementations across the region in the next year. At the same time, we anticipate the first WiMax-enabled chipsets to hit the market, making broadband connections available to an even wider population through all kinds of devices--both stationary and mobile.

This will also further drive the trend towards unified communications as fixed and mobile networks will converge, allowing not only for more cost efficient network management, but also enabling new, more user focused communication solutions.

For the mobile phone industry, it will be interesting to see the first Android-based solutions hit the market, as this platform has the potential to revolutionize the market. Motorola and, of course, other members of the Open Platform Alliance plan to leverage the Android platform to enable seamless, connected services and rich consumer experiences in future products.

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