Red Bend Software, a provider of  Mobile Software Management, announced that in the first quarter of 2010 its vRapid Mobile and vDirect Mobile software products were embedded in 70 million mobile phones and connected devices, a total shipments of 750 million. In Q1 nearly one in four mobile handsets was Red Bend-Enabled.

As of April 2009, Red Bend has combined its vCurrent Mobile and vRapid Mobile products together into a single solution for mobile software management. The combined product, called vRapid Mobile, is the industry's first MSM client capable of firmware updating, software component management and application management. Existing vCurrent Mobile customers may upgrade to vRapid Mobile FOTA capability for no additional fee.

In the first quarter, 65 new Red Bend-Enabled device models were shipped worldwide, bringing the total to 585. Red Bend announced that 10 percent of Red Bend-Enabled models are now wirelessly connected devices such as machine-to-machine (M2M) modules, USB modems, WiMAX CPE, netbooks and more.

According to Ovum (News - Alert), Red Bend continues to grow in firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updating, with 64 percent of FOTA-enabled mobile phones worldwide, and nearly 70 percent of M2M modules. 

Also, Red Bend launched the first end-to-end solution for service providers to independently manage their own branded user experience across smartphones using the OMA DM SCOMO standard. Its vRapid Mobile solution for mobile software management enables operators to monitor inventory and to install, remove and manage pre-loaded and user-downloaded applications.

Mobile phones and other connected devices that were launched in the first quarter with Red Bend's software include, LG GD888, a TD-SCDMA OPhone for China Mobile using the Android-based Open Mobile (News - Alert) System (OMS) platform. Also the, Sanyo Incognito SCP 6760, available from Boost Mobile, represents the growing trend of entry-level feature phone. Mobile phones and other connected devices with Red Bend's software also include Sierra Wireless AirCard W801 Mobile Hotspot, the first wireless mobile hotspot that supports both 3G and 4G networks, and the SIMCom SIM5215 series, a dual-band WCDMA and tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE module solution for M2M devices.

Red Bend and Sony Ericsson (News - Alert) renewed their multi-year, global license agreement under which Red Bend provides FOTA updating software for Sony Ericsson mobile devices.

'The growing worldwide adoption of mobile software management across mobile phones and other segments of the mobile device market including telematics and M2M, led to our strongest quarter ever in shipments,' stated Red Bend Software (News - Alert) CEO Yoram Salinger.

'Mobile devices, which have become essential to the lifestyles of billions of people, are increasingly complex and require ever-more sophisticated software. Device manufacturers and service providers trust Red Bend for our proven success in managing mobile software and connected devices so they can deliver the features and performance innovations that consumers demand,' Salinger added.