IT major IBM to enter mobile application segment
By IANSWednesday, June 17, 2009
NEW DELHI - Targeting users of business and smart phones, computer services major IBM Wednesday announced a $100-million investment in the mobile services space globally, including India.
“IBM is investing to create technology in its labs that brings simple, easy-to-use services to the millions of people who have bypassed the personal computer as their primary method of accessing the Internet, and instead use their mobile devices for conducting financial transactions, entertainment, shopping and more,” IBM said in a statement.
The company, however, did not specify the investment earmarked for India, where it has offices in 14 cities. “We do not divulge investments for individual countries,” an IBM India spokesperson told IANS.
After 130 years of existence that saw IBM manufacturing diverse products ranging from guns to calculators, the latest decision marks its entry into the growing mobile applications market.
Although smart phones have been available for several years, mobile software and services are still in their infancy.
“In todays inter-connected world, mobile device are gradually becoming ubiquitous and helping us transcend many boundaries - geographical, economic and social,” said Guruduth Banavar, global leader of IBM research mobile communication initiative.
