Nokia, Spyglass Focus On WAP Browser

Nokia Wireless Software Solutions (Helsinki, Finland) announced today that it has executed a worldwide distribution agreement with software supplier Spyglass Inc. (Naperville, IL). The accord is intended to accelerate the acceptance and implementation of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) standard, a series of documents put forth by the WAP Forum; Spyglass joined the WAP Forum late last year.

Founded by Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola, the WAP Forum's goal is to create a network-independent wireless protocol. WAP is expected to enable OEMs, network operators, content providers, and application developers to offer compatible products.

An Open Standard

WAP is also an open global standard for communication between a mobile handset and the Internet, or other computer application. WAP-based technology make possible the design of interactive and realtime mobile services, such as mobile banking or Internet-based news services, which can be used in digital mobile phones or other nomadic devices. The WAP spec enables technologies and products from various suppliers to interoperate and work consistently for end-users on wireless digital networks.

Today's agreement empowers Spyglass to license Nokia's WAP browser to OEMs building mobile phones, PDAs, and other wireless computers. Spyglass will also provide engineering services to manufacturers for the customization and integration of the Nokia WAP browser.

For its part, Spyglass will bring its Internet expertise to the WAP Forum, supporting the WAP specs in browsers, custom applications, content filters, and conversion and caching wares. The firm's products are already in use by Microsoft, Sony, 3Com, Daimler Benz, GTE, Motorola, NEC, JavaSoft, Nokia, Thomson Consumer Electronics (RCA), and Xerox.

"The Nokia browser is a well designed, pure implementation of the WAP standard," contends Jack Armstrong, vice president of Mobile Data Services for Spyglass. "We will be able to port it to a variety of mobile devices. If mobile professionals can't be assured of reliable access to information regardless of where they travel, applications are useless. WAP provides the open foundation that's needed."

For more details, contact Spyglass, Inc., 1240 East Diehl Rd., Naperville, IL 60563. Phone: (630) 245-6512. Fax: (630) 245-6693.