wired.com
12:30 p.m. 11.Nov.98.PST
Tired of the browser wars? You might want to get ready for the microbrowser wars.
Announcements by prominent wireless carriers to support both an open standards group and a Microsoft-backed venture for providing access to data via mobile wireless devices is raising questions about Microsoft's strategy in the wireless data market.
Several carriers, including AT&T Mobile, Bell Atlantic Mobile, Sprint PCS, and Qualcomm, now have partnerships with Microsoft to develop devices that would transmit data to and from handheld computers built around Microsoft's Windows CE operating systems. At the same time, however, these carriers are backing a standards group called the Wireless Application Protocol Forum, which is promoting the use of Internet standards for connecting Web applications to mobile devices.
Some industry observers said these approaches are, for the moment, complementary. But others said Microsoft's (MSFT) entry into the wireless data market is a sign that the battle to provide Web browser interfaces for mobile devices, or "microbrowsers," could be ready to heat up.
Microsoft, which started a war with Netscape Communications (NSCP) by putting its Internet Explorer browser in its Windows operating systems, could do similar things in the mobile device industry, where it is heavily promoting Windows CE.
The questions are being raised after Microsoft and Qualcomm announced late Tuesday that they would jointly form a company called WirelessKnowledge, designed to provide mobile access to applications based on Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. On Wednesday, the WAP Forum made its own announcement about the expansion of its membership, which includes many carriers that also partnered WirelessKnowldege. Microsoft has not yet signed up with WAP, which includes 71 members.
"Bell Atlantic and AT&T and were absent without leave from the Microsoft announcement," said Bob Egan, research director with the Gartner Group. "Now you see them the very next day saying they support WAP."
Egan believes that Microsoft could, as it did with Internet Explorer and Windows, promote a microbrowser for mobile devices that integrates more closely with Windows CE. In this scenario, the wireless industry could experience a Web-browser battle similar to the Netscape-Microsoft battle for Web browser dominance on the PC desktop.
"WAP has become the mobile version of the Netscape business model," said Egan, refering to Netscape's strategy of selling software products based on open Web standards. "Although Microsoft dominates the desktop market, they haven't addressed the handset market. The number of handsets shipped last year exceeded the number of PCs shipped. While [Microsoft] is entering the game a little late, they intend to compete."
But WAP members downplayed Microsoft's moves, saying that carriers could provide services based on both Windows CE and the WAP standards.
"They are definitely complementary positions," said Ben Linder, vice president of marketing for Unwired Plant, one of the WAP Forum's founding members. "Carriers are free to deliver services for both WAP and Windows CE."
Linder said the WAP Forum has been actively seeking Microsoft's participation in the development of wireless Web-access standards, but the company has yet to join the Forum. Microsoft would be competitive to the WAP Forum if it started marketing its own microbrowser.
"Microsoft has talked about a microbrowser but that is in the future," said Linder. "I'd like them to talk to WAP." |
