[August 5, 2002]

Nokia's Mobile Internet Toolkit Supports Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) Application Development

Nokia stepped up its commitment to creation of services based on the interoperable Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) standard with the release of its Mobile Internet Toolkit 3.1. The new Toolkit is part of an end-to-end solution from Nokia for development and deployment of MMS services by operators and content providers.

MMS, which opens a new dimension in business and consumer mobile communication, allows users of MMS-capable phones to send messages combining text, images, graphics and sound in a single "rich" message. Nokia is supporting the launch of MMS person-to-person and commercial content delivery services with a complete suite of MMS infrastructure platforms and a full line-up of MMS-enabled mobile devices.

The new version of Nokia's top-rated Mobile Internet Toolkit will add momentum to the roll-out of MMS by providing a PC-based testing and simulation environment that gives developers the potential to easily create, test and preview MMS messages.

The new Toolkit includes the ability to edit or auto-generate Synchronized Multimedia Internet Language (SMIL) files. A SMIL file is the portion of an MMS message that contains instructions governing presentation of multimedia content.

In addition to a realistic, PC-based testing and simulation environment, which eliminates the need for a handset or access to carrier infrastructure, the Toolkit comes with the Nokia Mobile Browser 3.0.1 simulator, which supports WAP 2.0 technologies including Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (xHTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

"The merging of rich media and wireless devices is a vital component of Nokia's strategy for accelerating the transition to advanced wireless networks with compelling services," said Jouko Hayrynen, vice president, Forum Nokia. "Now, with the Mobile Internet Toolkit 3.1, we provide a fast-track to bring new MMS applications to the market and enable end-user migration from existing SMS-based services to more advanced services."

According to industry analysts Ovum Research, the combined annual revenues from content and message traffic associated with MMS-based services could exceed $14 billion worldwide by 2004. "MMS presents a huge opportunity for operators, developers and content providers," commented John Delaney, principal analyst at Ovum. "The challenge, especially for operators, will be to create the proper business model for realizing its potential."

Multiple Nokia handset simulators are available at the Forum Nokia website for download and use with the Nokia Mobile Internet Toolkit. The simulators are based on commercially available Nokia devices and enable the previewing of different browser- and messaging-based applications.

The Mobile Internet Toolkit 3.1 has a flexible user interface that provides developers with easy to use editors as well as expanded views and preferences. Developers can navigate and request URLs from any web server on the Internet via a WAP gateway or use a limited version of the Nokia WAP server included with the Mobile Internet Toolkit. Applications can also be stored and queried directly from the PC file system.

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