Playstation/i-Mode combo to be moved overseas

Playstation/i-Mode combo to be moved overseas
TOKYO — NTT Docomo Inc. and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. intend to expand services that combine Sony's Playstation game console and Docomo's i-Mode cellular phones into overseas markets with the help of Docomo's partners.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding with six of Docomo's partners indicating their intent to collaborate on the joint development and marketing of new mobile communications network services and related applications. The partners are: AT&T Wireless Group in the United States; Hutchison Telephone Co. Ltd. in Hong Kong; Hutchison 3G UK Ltd. in the United Kingdom; KG Telecommunications Co. Ltd. in Taiwan; KPN Mobile NV in the Netherlands; and Telecom Italia Mobile in Italy.

Docomo and Sony agreed last August to work together to develop new services in Japan that will employ NTT Docomo's i-Mode cellular phones and Sony's Playstation consoles. The companies said a cable will connect the systems to allow new types of game entertainment. The connected systems will support a C-HTML browser that brings browsing capability to the game console. Those capabilities were scheduled to hit the market this winter, but haven't yet been introduced. "It is slightly behind schedule," a Sony Computer Entertainment spokeswoman said. "Content is still under development."

Sony and Docomo said they intend to use a similar business model overseas. Docomo is promoting i-Mode, a 9,600-bit/second packet communications service that enables access to Internet sites written in Compact-HTML, to overseas markets. In Hong Kong, Hutchison Telephone is already making i-Mode content accessible to users of its WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) network by way of a filtering server. Docomo also intends to offer i-Mode service for such next-generation services as General Packet Radio System (GPRS) and W-CDMA.

Last past week Docomo added a Java-based service in Japan called i-Appli, which allows applications to be downloaded to users' terminals to realize more sophisticated services. For example, a downloaded application may allow content such as moving images to be used offline, or to use an agent function to make gaming possible over the network. Java is expected to add more variety to the combination i-Mode/Playstation services.

Sony has already sold about 80 million units of its first-generation Playstation and PSone successor. While Playstation 2 is positioned as the platform for broadband service, Sony intends to continue promoting the first-generation Playstation as its base for mobile applications.

Docomo and Sony will work with each of the six overseas carriers to unite Playstation technologies and the mobile Internet, and to develop interfaces that will connect Playstations, mobile network terminals and servers to each network.