e.Digital Corporation (fka EDIG)

[Tinroad]

RealNetworks, Symbian to partner
June 28, 2001, 4:35 a.m. PT
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-6400355.html?tag=prntfr

SEATTLE--Hoping to eventually persuade customers to pay for data shipped to their mobile phones, RealNetworks will partner with Symbian, maker of operating systems for mobile phones, to include an audio and video player in wireless devices, the companies were scheduled to announce Thursday.

RealNetworks' RealPlayer Mobile is already available in the Nokia 9210, released last week in Europe. Through the deal, it could be included in Symbian operating systems for Motorola, Panasonic, Siemens and Sony phones, among others, spokeswoman Kari Day said.

RealNetworks, based in Seattle, sees the deal with London-based Symbian as the first step toward marketing a series of subscription services. For example, the company envisions that people will be willing to pay a fee to have news, sports or entertainment updates sent to their phone through streaming media and played on the RealPlayer.

RealNetworks' Vice President Mark Bretl said the company also would likely use the service to deliver music.

RealNetworks has built a customer base of as many as 200 million people through its giveaway RealPlayer for computers. Now, the company is trying to earn money from those customers with paid subscription services such as the ones envisioned in the Symbian partnership.

Its most promising initiative is MusicNet, a partnership with three major record labels that aims to provide music over the Internet via a subscription service.

For now, the effects of the deal with Symbian will mostly be felt outside the United States, where more sophisticated cell phone technology has made it easier for wireless devices to carry large amounts of data.

Day said a time line for offering subscription services has not been set.