This autumn, Ericsson will release a Symbian-based mobile phone
that incorporates a digital camera, a pen-based user interface,
Bluetooth support and the new Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
technology, writes Antony Adshead.
The Tri-Band Ericsson P800 will use version 7.0 of the Symbian
operating system, which includes support for IP version 6; Mobile
Information Device Profile (MidP) for Java 2 Platform, Micro
Edition (J2ME); IPSec security technology; and SyncML, an open
industry standard that allows remote wireless synchronisation of
data.
IPv6 is the latest iteration of the IP version 4 Web addressing
protocol. It increases the length of the device address from 32 to
128 bits and is backward compatible with version 4.
IPSec is a security technology that defines authentication and
encryption at the device level - layer 3 - allowing the phone to be
used for secure peer-to-peer connections. IPv6 in combination with
IPSec should make the device as secure as any PC on a fixed
network.
J2ME is a version of Java 2 for devices such as PDAs and mobile
phones. It uses K Virtual Machine, which is optimised for small
devices. MidP provides support for a graphical interface,
networking and storage.
MMS, which is expected to take off over the coming year, promises
the ability to send graphics, video clips and sound files between
mobile devices. However, not all observers are convinced that this
new technology is sufficiently appealing to set the world
alight.
Graham Fisher, an analyst at Bloor Research, said, "SMS was a
winner because it was such a simple, effective technology. Why does
anyone need to be able to send video clips to a phone?"