Motorola Selects Berkeley DB for New Smart Phone in China

Strategic Insights -

Motorola, the number one manufacturer of handsets in China, has selected Berkeley DB, a widely used data management software, for its new Motorola A768 smart phone. The A768, designed for corporate users, follows the success of the Motorola A760 model introduced last fall. By integrating open source technologies, including Berkeley DB, MontaVista Linux, and Trolltech's Qt/Embedded framework, Motorola aims to reduce time-to-market and cost while developing its smart phones that enable new differentiating services for customers.

Key Takeaways:

  • Motorola has selected Berkeley DB, a widely used data management software, for its new Motorola A768 smart phone in China.
  • The A768, designed for corporate users, features a variety of applications, including PDA capability, MP3 music playback, and full-motion video recording.
  • The handset is powered by three key embedded, open source technologies: Sleepycat's Berkeley DB, MontaVista Linux, and Trolltech's Qt/Embedded framework.
  • Berkeley DB provides the A768 with an open, flexible, and transaction-protected data manager for integrated new functions, including the contacts database and repository for downloaded files.
  • Sleepycat worked closely with Motorola to add options to Berkeley DB to enable key functions of the A768.
  • The A768 supports various document formats, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, MP3, and JPG files.
  • The secure VPN technology on the A768 allows corporate users to access their e-mail, intranet, ERP, and other business applications securely.
  • The A768 is a full enterprise solution mobile device, supporting secure wireless access to corporate network resources.
  • Motorola has partnered with Sleepycat Software to deliver new products and services to its customers quickly and reliably.
  • Sleepycat Software is a privately held company with offices in California and Massachusetts, profitable since 1996.
  • Sleepycat Software makes Berkeley DB, the most widely used application-specific data management software in the world with over 200 million deployments.

Statistics:

  • Motorola has 252.3 million mobile telephone subscribers currently in China, estimated by IDC.
  • The mobile telephone market in China is forecasted to reach 371.4 million subscribers by 2007.
  • Sales in 2003 for Motorola were U.S. $27.1 billion.
  • Sleepycat Software has over 200 million deployments of Berkeley DB worldwide.
  • The A768 smart phone features 96MB of system memory and 4,000 record phone book capacity.

Sources:

  • "Motorola Selects Berkeley DB for New Smart Phone in China", PRNewswire, Feb. 11, 2004.
  • "About Motorola", Motorola, Inc., http://www.motorola.com/.
  • "About Sleepycat Software", Sleepycat Software, http://www.sleepycat.com/.
  • "Wilvin Chee, IDC's Associate Director, Asia/Pacific Software Overview", IDC, Feb. 11, 2004.
  • "Haavard Nord, CEO of Trolltech", Trolltech, Feb. 11, 2004.