Microsoft targets Symbian supporters

NEWS Microsoft president Steve Ballmer has stepped up pressure on mobile phone manufacturers to back Windows CE as their operating system (OS) of choice. Nokia confirmed that Ballmer is personally lobbying senior executives to abandon their stake in rival handheld OS, Symbian. Ballmer claims the manufacturers will rethink their strategy once they see Windows CE's next-generation features, according to recent reports. Motorola, Ericsson and Matsushita - all Symbian shareholders - are also being wooed. Dilip Mistry, Microsoft's European marketing manager for Windows CE, said: "The future of hand-held devices is all about corporate use, but Symbian has given no clues about how it will handle servers in the real world. Users want access to corporate data, top security, easy application development and middleware technologies." Symbian works with Microsoft on PC connectivity, and declined to retaliate, but manufacturers are making their loyalties clear. In a written statement, Motorola said: "We believe that Symbian offers consumers what they need and want, namely... a tried and tested operating system, specially designed for wireless devices and choice - from the world's four leading mobile phone manufacturers." A spokeswoman for Nokia explained why the company would not go with Microsoft. "Symbian's EPOC platform is flexible and robust, but most importantly we have input into the design and technical specifications." She said Nokia was in constant negotiations with other industry players, but was not planning any announcements about Windows CE.