14 DAY TRIAL // Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's Chief Executive Officer, revealed the company's plans to help both people and businesses accommodate better with mobile technology. The first Microsoft dedicated mobile device management server was announced, as well as a new business alliance that will help businesses take greater advantage of the mobile solutions based on the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system.
"People expect to be able to do more and more with their mobile phone," said Steve Ballmer. "We're building on our expertise across servers, operating systems and services to deliver Windows Mobile experiences that bridge the things people want to do at work and at home."
The new dedicated mobile device management server is called Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 and it will offer IT professionals advanced security features and improved control over devices running on Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile handsets will be managed in a similar manner that the PCs and Windows laptops are. Therefore, companies will be able to deliver new applications and content to mobile phones over the air and connect users through Mobile VPN with access to important data like customer information or expense reports.
To guide more businesses into acquiring and managing mobile phone deployments, Microsoft allied with Enterprise Mobile Inc., a new mobile enterprise service company that will create, deploy and manage custom-made mobile solutions for phone manufacturers and mobile operators.
Microsoft has big plans regarding the Windows Mobile operating system and intends to sell 20 million WM devices in 2008. With more than 30 Windows Mobile handsets released this year, Samsung Blackjack II being the latest, 2008 looks great for Microsoft and the WM platform is expected to be the fastest-growing operating system for mobiles in the next years.
The new Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager should be available for the market in the first half of 2008.