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NTT DoCoMo's 3G Handsets WMA CompatibleNTT DoCoMo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. have agreed to a collaborative effort in order to uncover a method for incorporating Microsoft (News - Alert) Windows Media technologies in NTT DoCoMo’s 3G FOMA handsets. The goal is to have a solution in place by the time NTT DoCoMo’s F902iS is launched this summer.
The idea is that the F902iS will support both Windows Media Audio and Windows Media DRM 10 (Digital Rights Management) for portable devices. In addition to Windows Media Audio technologies, NTT DoCoMo will explore the feasibility of also incorporating Windows Media Video, Microsoft’s version of SMPTE VC-1 in the future. “Microsoft’s Windows Media platform and the company’s commitment toward enabling new digital rights management solutions for the wireless environment are helping push the industry forward,” said Takeshi Natsuno, senior vice president and managing director, Multimedia Services of NTT DoCoMo. “With support for Windows Media, users of our FOMA handsets will enjoy a broader range of services and more choices for entertainment.”
Once Windows Media has been incorporated into NTT DoCoMo’s handsets, users will be able to play music downloaded to a PC from more than 100 global online music services. The handsets will also support content ripped from CDs in the WMA format.
Supported on hundreds of mobile devices and services, Windows Media Audio and Windows Media DRM are the most widely deployed technologies in the world for the delivery of digital music. Windows Media DRM supports a wide range of business models that include download and play, subscription, and video on demand, and enables mobile operators with the choice to directly acquire licenses on their handsets or to load content from PCs. Microsoft recently announced its intent to invest in its DRM technology, with the specific goal of providing greater support for the wireless industry. It remains to be seen whether that is well received or not, given the debate over DRM policies at online music stores. Yahoo! Music’s Dave Goldberg even suggested the industry might be better off without DRM.
Erik Linask is Associate Editor of INTERNET TELEPHONY. Most recently, he was Managing Editor at Global Custodian, an international securities services publication. To see more of his articles, please visit Erik Linask’s columnist page.
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