智能手机与PC差距缩小，PC或将成为历史？

Mobilebeat 2010会议上，部分供应商的高管给我们带来这样的信息：由于供应商们对于无线网络领域利益的追求，催生了能够取代PC的智能手机的研发需求——新的手持设备将能够支持普通消费者和商务级客户，并且可以支持更多的视频功能。

参与Mobilebeat 2010会议的工程师们表示，移动平台和应用的整合是个恼人的问题，但现在主要焦点逐渐集中到如何赚到钱。“我们在700MHz频率上面支出了9亿美元，以覆盖到4G，现在我们正在另外投入数亿美元的资金来扩建网络。”Verizon Wireless的新技术开发主管Humphrey Chen表示。

Verizon在波士顿和西雅图建立了试验性的Long Term Evolution网络，现在向用户提供10Mbits/s的下行速率和5Mbits/s的上行速率。为了推进该网络的使用，Verizon正在考虑开发一个带有键盘、摄像头和监视器的扩展坞，使得智能手机具备完整的PC功能。

“采用GHz级别的处理器，智能手机与PC之间的差距缩小了。”Chen说，“这恐怕是微软的梦魇，因为它不能再利用Windows或Office获得收入，但Google Apps和Verizon云计算会有很大的机会。”

Chen还提出了在手机上建立普通消费者与商务客户的设想，这意味着运营商可以在设备上面向两方收钱：“我们正在开发虚拟技术实现这个设想。”

预计Verizon不久将推出一个移动开发者研讨会。它已经创立了一个4G创业论坛，包括阿尔卡特－朗讯、爱立信和四家创投公司，为蜂窝网络寻找新的创意。Verizon和其他厂商的许多新设想，涉及在无线网络上传送更多的视频。Chen表示，要消化客户所提供的视频内容，需要更多的支持工具。

Sprint最近推出了其首款WiMAX手机，预计可以利用其网络向社交网站传送实时高清视频流。它也预期企业也会利用它来使用手机连接安保摄像头和其他监视器。“我们认为，有大量的商业应用程序，我们将继续寻求嵌入式Wi-Fi设备接入我们的网络。”Sprint的4G副总裁Todd Rowley表示。

开发商和OEM表示，移动空间正在变得不那么分散，但收获的道路依然艰难。“我们并不担心目前市场的分散，但我们想让市场尽快地运行起来。”移动游戏Angry Birds开发商Rovio的Peter Vesterbacka表示。

“市场分散情况在旧Java时代要严重得多，当时恐怕有数百个变种。”Vesterbacka表示，“现在基本上只有Symbian、苹果、RIM、Palm和Android，市场需要有一个能让人们取得应用程序并计费的地方，我们希望我们的份额超过一半。”

“苹果iPhone应用程序商店很简单，但由于一些原因，Symbian和Android却很难达到那样的水平。”他补充道。

谷歌Android部门的Eric Chu表示，谷歌将很快宣布改进Android开发者的赚钱方式。现在没有一个Web门户用于从PC购买Android应用程序，也没有处理 Android应用程序内部的计费方式。“过去几个月我们一直大量投资(开发通过Android应用程序赚钱的方式)，并期望在未来几个月宣布一些结果。”Chu表示。

摩托罗拉手机部门软件与服务主管John Ellis指出，Android帮助结束了该公司平台较杂的局面。“2008年以前，我们有17种以上的不同平台，极其复杂。”Ellis表示，“我们当时有些开发团队不了解形势，开发者无所作为。”

和Verizon一样，摩托罗拉现在专注于Android。Ellis指出：“除了ODM系统，我们的所有产品都基于Android，数量超过了我们的预测。”

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Verizon: Smartphones can replace PCs

by Rick Merritt

As vendors race for revenues on wireless networks, expect to see smartphones that try to replace PCs, handsets hosting separate consumer and business clients and lots more video. Those were some of the ideas from execs at the Mobilebeat 2010 conference here.

Consolidation in mobile platforms and applications is a nagging issue, but increasingly the main focus is how to get to the money, according to presenters at the Mobilebeat 2010 conference here.

"We spent $9 billion on 700 MHz spectrum to take coverage to the next level for 4G, and now we are spending billions of top of that to build the networks out," said Humphrey Chen, director of new technology development at Verizon Wireless (pictured below).

Verizon has trial Long Term Evolution networks in Boston and Seattle now delivering 10 Mbits/s down to users and as much as 5 Mbits/s up to the net. One idea it is mulling to drive use of that network is a docking station with keyboard, camera and monitor that turns a smartphone into a full PC.

"With gigahertz processors, the divide between the smartphone and PC has narrowed," said Chen. "That's Microsoft's worst nightmare because there is no Windows or Office revenue, but there's a big Google Apps and Verizon cloud computing opportunity there," he added.

Chen also floated the idea creating separate consumer and business clients on a single handset, suggesting carriers could bill two parties for services on the device. "We are exploring virtualization technology to make that happen," Chen said in a keynote talk.

Verizon is expected to launch a mobile developer conference soon. It has already created a 4G venture forum including Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and four venture capital firms to drive new ideas for cellular nets.

Many of the new ideas from Verizon and others involve packing more video on wireless nets. Chen said customer support services need tools to be able to ingest video feeds from customers.

Sprint, which recently launched its first WiMax handset, sees the potential for real-time high def video streaming to social networking sites using its net. It also expects use from businesses using handsets to connect security cameras and other monitors.

"We think there are tons of business apps, and we continue to seek embedded Wi-Fi devices to connect [our net] to," said Todd Rowley, vice president of 4G at Sprint.

Developers and OEMs said the mobile space is become less fragmented, but the road to revenue is still rough.

"We don’t mind the fragmentation today, but we want to get the marketplaces to work, said Peter Vesterbacka of Rovio, developer of the top-selling Angry Birds mobile game.

Fragmentation "used to be much, much worse in the bad old Java days with hundreds of variations," said Vesterbacka. "Now there's basically Symbian, Apple, RIM, Palm and Android, but want one place where people can get the apps and be billed--and we want our fair share which is more than half," he said.

The Apple iPhone App Store "is simple, but for some reason it's been tough for Symbian and Android guys to get to that level," he added.

Eric Chu, who heads up the Android group at Google said he will announce soon improvements to how Android developers can earn money. Today there is no Web portal for buying Android apps from a PC and no way to handle billing inside an Android app, Chu said.

"We've been investing heavily [in ways to make money in Android apps] in the last few months and look forward to some announcements in the next few months," Chu said.

John Ellis, director of software and services for Motorola's cellphone group, said Android has helped end fragmentation for his company.

"Before 2008 we had no less than 17 different platforms and the complexity was monstrous," Ellis said. "We had development teams that didn’t know what was going on and had developer paralysis," he said.

Like Verizon, Motorola is now focused on Android. "With the exception of ODM systems, all our products are based on Android and the numbers are beyond our forecasts," Ellis said.