Software platforms for mobile devices

The market for mobile software platforms experienced major changes in 2008, driven by the iPhone 3G launch, Symbian’s transformation and the market entry of Android. A growing number of operating systems are battling for market share and attention from the endorsement ecosystem and end users. This happens in a growing market – but industry players too easily defocus their attention from the business opportunities brought in emerging markets, where entry-level and low-end phones dominate, and growth rates of mobile internet usage are highest. Device vendors, software providers and network operators can exploit this potential through market-specific partnerships, creating profitable services even on less sophisticated devices. Strategies differ, and question is whether there can be a single winning formula?