MindTree to foray into Symbian OS space

MindTree Consulting, which specialises in Bluetooth technology and provides Bluetooth-related IP to its clients across the globe, recently forayed into the Symbian OS space and hopes to make substantial strides in the field, says ABHINAV SINGH

According to Kesava Dasu, as part of its partnership with Symbian, MindTree will also provide support in previewing pre-release versions of the Symbian OS

MindTree Consulting has extended its Bluetooth expertise to the Symbian Operating System, which would help it tap the emerging global market for Symbian OS-based advanced mobile phones. Symbian OS, developed and licensed by UK-based software-licensing company Symbian, is a global, open, industry-standard operating system for mobile phones. Symbian has licensed Symbian OS to the world’s leading mobile phone manufacturers, including Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Siemens and Sony Ericsson. Publicly announced products based on the Symbian OS include the Samsung SGH-D700, Siemens SX-1, NTT DoCoMo FOMA F2051 and F2102V built by Fujitsu, Sony Ericsson P800 Smartphone, Nokia 9200 Communicator, Nokia 7650, 6600, 3650 and N-Gage.

MindTree recently joined the Symbian Platinum Programme to develop applications, which run on top of the Symbian OS, as well as to enhance existing Symbian applications. The Symbian Platinum Programme consists of companies that have some expertise on the Symbian OS. As part of the programme, partners benefit from a range of commercial services, including technical support and joint marketing opportunities as well as privileged access to Symbian OS source code and a dedicated partner support team.

Special team for Symbian work

MindTree has constituted a special team working on developing its expertise in the Symbian OS space. The team, which has 25-30 members, has been working for the last one year and continues to enhance MindTree’s expertise in this field. Kesava Dasu, MindTree Consulting’s technical director says, “MindTree already had internal projects running to further enhance its expertise on the Symbian OS. As part of its partnership with Symbian, MindTree will also provide support in previewing pre-release versions of the Symbian OS.”

MindTree has proved its ability to manage mobile technology with its earlier foray into the Bluetooth space. It has licensed its Bluetooth IP to several companies in the US, Europe and Japan and its code has been incorporated into mobile phones, computer mice, keyboards and hands-free headsets.

Cashing in on the smart mobile market

MindTree Consulting is hoping that the market for Symbian OS-based smart mobile phone market will grow at a steady pace. During the first half of 2003, 2.6 million Symbian OS equipped phones have been sold, as compared to the 0.23 million sold during the first half of last year. MindTree’s Bluetooth technology complements the Symbian OS. The company already has had queries from different smart phone mobile vendors and is expecting many more of them in the months to come.

Vivek Shrivastava, associate director, Technology Business, MindTree Consulting says, “MindTree will now be able to participate at Symbian partner events to showcase its technological expertise in the Symbian OS space. It will help us interact in a better manner with mobile phone vendors.”