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Empire strikes back: Symbian-powered Panasonic EB-X700 is now on sale in Asia - the new smallest smartphone in the world ? December 23, 2004 [General] | By Edward J. R. When huge Japanese corporations put their weight behind some ideas, then others must tremble. Firstly NTT DoCoMo decided that it doesn't like Microsoft and will use Symbian and Linux in their smart phones (and then actually NTT DoCoMo purchased shares in mobile Linux maker MontaVista) and now Panasonic (brand owned by Matsushita) started selling in Asia this very very small smartphone powered by Symbian 7 (image from the box in which X700 is shipped): Does it mean doom and gloom for Windows Mobile and Microsoft's efforts to enter cell phone industry for good? When "Japan says NO to Microsoft" will it mean that Microsoft is doomed to fail in cell phone industry in long term? Before we will answer this question let's compare Panasonic EB-X700 to HTC Typhoon (aka Orange SPV C500 or Audiovox STM 5600): volume for X700: 113.5 cc and volume for HTC Typhoon: 79.4 cc ; dimensions for X700: 108 x 46 x 16mm and for HTC Typhoon: 97 x 49 x 23.9 weight for X700: 107 g, for HTC Typhoon: 100 g card slot for X700 and for HTC Typhoon the same: mini-SD card! display size in pixels: X700 - 176x208, HTC Typhoon - 176x220 Conclusions: HTC Typhoon keeps the title "the smallest smartphone of the world" and Panasonic X700 is not able to defeat HTC (yet). However potential of Japanese corporations is huge and Microsoft needs to: either a) act quickly and get on board some Japanese hardware manufacturers for Microsoft Smartphone or b) convince Taiwanese and Chinese hardware manufacturers to compete with (Symbian) Japanese phones by producing phones with even more features and with lower price. The upcoming BenQ P50 that offers more features than Japanese Sony Ericsson P910i, will be much cheaper. So Microsoft mobiles can compete with Symbian on price and features. Microsoft is not yet doomed to fail in smartphone market, but big entrance of Japanese corporations on the side of Symbian and Linux means that life will not be easy for Windows Mobile and it could end up being just a tiny niche ... All in all difficult times are coming for Windows Mobile cell phones. Therefore there is no place for complacency. Not at all. Post your comment (free registration is required to post, but if you register you can edit your posts later) [ 1 Comment ] << Previous Story Next Story >>

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