Red Bend Claims 34% Share

Red Bend Software, which provides in mobile software management and Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) updating solutions for mobile phones, has revealed that its vCurrent Mobile FOTA client software is now embedded in 58 handset models used by 80 million consumers worldwide, giving the company a 34% market share of all FOTA-enabled phones shipping.
At the end of 2005, vCurrent Mobile was embedded in just six handset models and 10 million phones. Red Bend is forecasting that the software will be embedded in 100 million mobile phones by the end of Q1 2007. To date, Red Bends FOTA software has performed more than 1.25 million software improvements for mobile consumers in 97 countries.
FOTA has become an essential asset for new mobile phones, and is projected to be embedded in 50% of all mobile devices by 2008 says Matt Lewis, Director of Research and Consulting at UK analyst ARCchart. The ability to deliver software improvements directly to consumers mobile phones greatly enhances the mobile user experience. In 2006, Red Bend emerged as the leader in FOTA client software, and has proven to be a key player in shaping the Mobile Software Management market.
Red Bend points out that todays mobile phones have sophisticated software architectures, offering advanced features such as digital cameras, music players and web browsers. Phones can have 128MB of flash memory to support tens of applications and hundreds of software components. Red Bends patented vCurrent Mobile FOTA software, interoperable with standards-based Mobile Device Management (DM) servers, enables mobile phone manufacturers and wireless operators to efficiently and reliably deliver firmware version updates over-the-air to phones already in consumers hands, keeping handsets up-to-date with the latest features and software improvements.
Consumers currently personalise their mobile phones with ringtones, games and wallpapers says Red Bend CEO, Yoram Salinger. Soon, they will want to personalise their handsets by selecting the software features, applications and services that fit their lifestyles. With our ongoing innovations in Mobile Software Management and new product introductions planned for 2007, Red Bend is empowering the mobile value chain to meet this consumer need through greater flexibility and control over managing a phones software assets. As a result, consumers will become more attached to their mobile phones and their service providers benefiting the entire industry.
You can download a free research paper on FOTA here.