|
|
Mobile Phones: Our Computer Companions Play an Ever Increasing Role in Our Lives
NIKKEI COMMUNICATIONS 2007, 6, 15
by Tetsushi Hayashi, editor-in-chief
Photo by Masashi Niizeki
| Interview with Tomihisa Kamada, Co-founder, Executive Vice President & CTO, ACCESS CO., LTD.
ACCESS is the company that developed NetFront™ Browser, now used worldwide in more than 300 million mobile handsets*. More recently, ACCESS has developed a Linux-based, next-generation platform as well as technology for next-generation networks (NGNs). Tetsushi Hayashi, editor-in-chief of Nikkei Communications, asked Dr. Kamada, co-founder, executive vice president and CTO of the ACCESS Group, for his opinions on trends in mobile technology and NGN initiatives.
Hayashi: Mobile phones are evolving from simple telephones into "information devices." What is your view of the mobile phone market at this juncture?
Kamada: It's not only PCs, but devices such as consumer electronics that are becoming network-connectible. This is one major trend. The other major trend is the shift from Windows to Linux.
Mobile phones have evolved into perhaps the most familiar of our communication devices. They've become computer companions that people take everywhere. The Japanese word "keitai" (meaning "portable" or "mobile") is often rendered in katakana, which proves that the mobile phone has become a very familiar, important device. (The katakana syllabary is normally reserved for foreign words, although it can be used to add impact to a Japanese word.)
To date, mobile phones have developed according to business models designed by telecom carriers. It's my impression, however, that from now on, mobile phones will play larger, broader roles and will no longer be controlled by the carriers.
Before we go any further, I'd like to make it clear that mobile software is becoming extremely complex. During the past decade, countless add-ons have been developed; and unless a round of rationalization takes place in the near future, adding greater capability will be impossible.
ACCESS is aware of this problem, and has responded to it by developing a Linux-based, next-generation platform known as ACCESS Linux Platform™. Our goal was to use Linux as the foundation for an advanced, multitask-capable mobile phone platform.
Telephony is just another function
Open systems are making mobile phones more like PCs
Hayashi: If the mobile phone continues to evolve into a "computer companion," then perhaps its function as a telephone will no longer be its main function?
Kamada: From the standpoint of ACCESS Linux Platform, voice will be just one of many functions. Of course, I think the market will still see a significant number of handsets that remain, essentially, telephones. However, it's probably not necessary to build an open platform for them. Devices created using an open Linux platform are likely to be more than phones, and as such will target a slightly broader market.
These devices will also be physically transformed. Until now, mobile phones have had a keypad. But Apple's new iPhone uses a touch screen. If you consider the applications loaded onto these mobile phones, you realize that keypads are used for mail and making calls - that's it. So the idea of a virtual keypad that appears only when needed is a reasonable one. Mobile phones are likely to become general-purpose devices like PCs.
Hayashi: NetFront Browser is used in more than 300 million devices worldwide*. Why has this particular Japanese software been so widely accepted around the world?
Kamada: Well, I think one major factor was that we developed this embedded software with the intention of selling it worldwide. The idea was most definitely not "first succeed in Japan, then take it overseas."
Everywhere you go, handset makers are the same: when it comes to choosing a developer and vendor of mobile phone software, they are very cautious. You see, once they begin to use a particular software, they have to continue using it for several years thereafter. If our business doesn't go well and we retreat to the Japanese market, handset makers will be in trouble. Therefore, they're scrutinizing us, making sure we're serious. If we want to be chosen, we have to take the time to gain their trust.
The difficulty with embedded software is that "localization" does not mean "just changing the language." If that were the case, we could probably stay in Japan and conduct our business. But it isn't the case, so we must co-develop software with handset makers.
Take user interfaces, for example - they have a multitude of local requirements. Carriers also have their own preferences, and users in Europe have tastes that differ from those in China. For this reason, we must hire local engineers, train them to a high level, and get them to understand our software. That's a time-consuming process.
Hayashi: Regarding mobile phones, some people consider Japan's carrier-centered business model to be a problem.
Kamada: Yes, some people make that claim, but they may be forgetting that the model also has had many merits. The reason why the "keitai" culture penetrated so far so fast in Japan is probably due to the carriers having taken the lead in developing content, and synchronizing handsets, services and rates.
Now, some may think that the same sort of thing can be achieved with TV and other services, but I disagree - things in these areas are not going well because there is no organizer. Unless a decision is made about who organizes content and how services are billed, business can't get off to a good start.
Hayashi: A hot trend in the computer world is online applications, such as SaaS. But this approach has been around the mobile phone sector for some time. What's your view?
Kamada: PCs began as standalone devices, but in some ways they've been constrained by their reliance on Windows. To combat this, services have appeared that try to provide everything on the server side. Google, for example.
My feeling is that both are extremes. Some things are better left on the server side, but leaving everything to servers is going too far. There's also the related problem of privacy. So we should seek a good balance, draw a line, and skillfully link servers with clients.
Mobile phones originally had little memory and slow CPUs. Therefore, it was essential to consider how to link servers and clients. I think this background made it possible for mobile phones to evolve as well as they have.
In the PC world, upgrading a computer's capabilities is as easy as downloading software from the Internet. With mobile phones, it's not that simple. But this is not a technology problem. For example, consideration has been given to the reality that if downloaded software does not run, then mobile phone users can't necessarily correct the problem in the way PC users can.
In the near future, it will probably be possible to add or delete capabilities to your heart's content. Which, to take it to an extreme, could lead to the functions available for downloading varying according to the day of the week. That sort of phenomenon may gradually emerge.
Layer 3 switches for NGNs
Developing advanced architecture
Hayashi: Another new trend is the creation of IP-based communication services known as next-generation networks (NGNs). The full utilization of IPv6 and migration of mobile networks to IP are being discussed.
Photo by Masashi Niizeki
| Kamada: Telecom carriers want to improve the quality of their networks, whereas Internet providers think it's better to leave quality issues to applications. The argument is between "networks" and "handsets," but there are advantages and disadvantages to both.
For services such as telephony, I'd like a certain level of quality to be guaranteed. However, history shows that environments where applications can be freely created and incorporated - environments like the Internet - have been more successful. There's also the problem of cost - some users think "the cheaper, the better." Although building networks with different quality levels is probably difficult in terms of cost, I'd like users to have a choice.
Regarding the migration of mobile networks to IP, I think use of IPv6 would be a good idea. Mobile packet services started in the late 1990s, when it was a bit difficult to use IPv6. But now it's an option.
But if you're going to adopt IPv6, I think it's better to avoid thinking in terms of "So what can we do with IPv6?" and focus instead on "It makes management easy, so let's use it." IPv6 does make management easy.
The problem is that the world of IPv4 is already in place. Because IPv4 and IPv6 are entirely different protocols, the transition won't be direct or immediate. The creation of 3.9G might be a good opportunity to make the switch.
Hayashi: What are you doing to advance the implementation of NGNs?
Kamada: IP Infusion, which we acquired last year, is developing Layer 3 switches to compete with Cisco. Since ACCESS has been involved with TCP/IP for twenty years now, we thought it would be a good idea to become more involved with software for networked equipment. However, the success of NetFront Browser has made it difficult to approach that area.
IP Infusion is now developing new network software for NGNs. Although development work is currently based on ZebOS®, the existing router operating system, it will adopt more advanced architecture for the NGN era. We intend to enable our architecture to handle SIP as well, and are suggesting this to telecom carriers. We are also developing the business of home gateways that can connect to NGNs. We will probably be able to announce that business this year.
Afterword
It was exciting to listen as CTO Kamada, who has led the migration of mobile phones to IP, declares his company's entry into the NGN market. TCP/IP is a low-cost technology because it is moderately reliable. If widespread adoption of this technology causes quality to be prioritized "because we're using NGNs," the original merits of the technology are bound to be lost. I'm interested to see how Kamada, who knows all there is to know about TCP/IP, will build and use NGNs.
* As of November 30, 2006; ACCESS updated this figure on August 31, 2007 (NetFront Deployments Surpass 400 Million Worldwide ).
** Source: Nikkei Communications, 2007 July 15 issue
Link to the original pages on Nikkei BP's website (in Japanese):
http://itpro.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/Interview/20070801/278780/
http://itpro.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/Interview/20070801/278829/
This is an English translation of the original Japanese report. ACCESS CO., LTD accepts responsibility for the translation.
Copyright (C) 1995-2007 Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
|
