Research Reports

Support for Device Management in Mobile Handsets: 2007-2009
(4Q07 Update) Published by Ovum, July 30, 2008

This Ovum study is the fourth iteration of a series of four quarterly studies. Growing support for advanced mobile device management (MDM) technologies in mobile handsets promises to give the mobile service provider a much increased degree of control over the device fleet. This report gives a detailed insight into the current penetration of MDM technologies in mobile handsets and gives Ovum's predictions for future market development. In particular, Ovum tracks support for three key technologies: OMA client provisioning (OMA CP), OMA device management (OMA DM) and firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) update. In the FOTA market, Red Bend's shipments have surged ahead of its competitors in the fourth quarter of 2007 with 57% of the market share and a 41% share in the installed base of FOTA-enabled handsets.

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Red Bend Profile: An Extract from Strategy Analytics Report on Machine to Machine Communications; Published by Octegra Limited, April 2008

Red Bend's FOTA software provides a cost-effective solution to the problem of updating handset software and correcting faults without the need to remove the device to a centralized service centre. It claims the machine-to-machine (M2M) market has many similarities to the mobile handset market, including: difficulty in recovering devices for repair, high cost of undertaking software upgrades, and increase in the software complexity and size. In addition, the longevity of many M2M devices, such as Automotive and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), makes it more likely that the device will require a software upgrade at some point during its operational life. Red Bend believes that FOTA is the next enabler that will make M2M more complete. For more information about Octegra Limited, visit www.Octegra.co.uk.

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Support for Device Management in Mobile Handsets: 2007-2009 (published April 2008)

This independent Ovum study assesses the global market adoption of firmware over-the-air (FOTA) and device management (DM) capabilities in mobile phones as of third quarter 2007. The study finds that these technologies are rapidly being adopted by manufacturers and service providers globally, and forecasts that by the end of 2009, 84% of new handsets will include FOTA software. Ovum's assessment is based on primary data representing nearly 900 handsets launched worldwide since 2003.

The 21-page report includes global forecasts for FOTA and OMA-DM technologies, and includes market share of the FOTA software vendors.

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Mobile Software Management: Advances and Opportunities
in Service Delivery

This report presents the advancements in the Mobile Software Management (MSM) market and the opportunities emerging for mobile operators, handset manufacturers and service providers in delivering services at any and every stage in the handset lifetime. The report is a must-read for business, marketing and technology managers needing to identify new revenue opportunities in mobile service delivery and needing to understand the various technical approaches to mobile software management.

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Firmware Over-the-Air: From Hype to Market Reality

FOTA is the technology and process allowing embedded software (firmware) to be updated wirelessly, anywhere, and at any time. FOTA is normally associated with bug fixes, and with the typical handset containing as many as 10,000 software defects (most of them latent), FOTA can help accelerate time-to-market by allowing manufacturers to address non-critical software defects after the handset has shipped. Longer term, FOTA holds the promise of allowing operators to install new revenue channels by updating their customers' handsets with new features and mobile services, post sale.

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