Open Source Changes the Game in Mobile Email

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Open Source Changes the Game in Mobile Email
Fabrizio Capobianco, Funambol CEO

• open source is addictive

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The Mobile Market

• Device variety is going to increase even more
  the phone is a status symbol
• Email is commoditizing in mobile
• Open standards are the best way forward for
  device manufacturer and carriers
• RIM and MSFT cannot address the bulk of the market

600M
127M
25M
30M
18M
15M
2003
2004
2005
SyncML enabled
Smartphones
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Mobile Open Source

• The largest QA team on the planet is the only
  viable approach to complete device compatibility
• Support for open standards, such as SyncML, is
  pivotal
• Providing an upgrade path with transparent
  plug-ins for Win Mobile and BlackBerry is
  necessary
• Supporting a variety of back-end data systems is
  crucial, in particular within the open source
  ecosystem

600M
MOBILE OPEN SOURCE
30M
2005
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OPENSOURCEISADDICTIVE
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Mobile email for the masses

• Corporate
• 60 of companies are planning to implement mobile
  mail this year1
• Nokia and Microsoft move into the market mobile
  mail is becoming a standard requirement
• Consumers
• 96 of consumers are NOT willing to buy an
  expensive phone just to get mobile email
• 71 of respondents to Ipsos survey ranked "low
  cost" as a very important feature of the mobile
  email service itself ? they would buy it if it
  was priced right
• Telco needs to tap into this market either to
  increase Data ARPU or as a defensive measure
  reduce churn
• Brand differentiation is also an issue,
  especially for MVNOs

• 1. Source Quicirca - ordered by Intellisync
  "Reaching the wireless data tipping point)

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Market Demand
Mobile Open Source
Seven, Visto, Nokia IntelliSync Good
Breadth Of Device Reach
J2ME-onlysolutions
RIM Microsoft
Lock-in/ Proprietary
Open/ Standards
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Why Mobile needs Open Source

• Much broader range of devices
• Mass testing of devices ? a community effort is
  the ONLY viable solution for the mass market
• Lower Total Cost Of Ownership
• Commodity services are less expensive to deploy
• A huge community supports the software
• Greater code stability
• Larger talent pool than proprietary competitors
• Greater innovation from more eyes on problem
• Speed of innovation is everything in mobile
• New services emerging spontaneously
• e.g. new features, adaptors, clients, portals

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Mobile needs Open Source ?

• Funambol Project downloads (source ObjectWeb
  Consortium)

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Email is a simple mobile app
Contacts Calendar Sync
Mobile Application Development
Application Device Management
Push Email
Mobile Application Server
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Architecture for mobility
Email Server
Specialty Devices
Web Enabled PCs
Fir e w a l l
AES/SSL
Internet Network
AES/SSL
AES/SSL
Middleware Server
128-bit SSL
128-bit SSL
Mass Market Devices
128-bit SSL
Administration Tool
PDAs Smart Devices
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SyncML (OMA DS/DM)

• An architectural specification
• Three protocol specifications
• XML-based representation protocol
• Data synchronization protocol
• Device management protocol
• Bindings to common transport protocols
• Device description framework for device management

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SyncML specified data types

• Personal Information Management (PIM)
• Address book
• Calendar
• Tasks
• Notes
• Email (SyncML 1.2)
• Add your own

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The Funambol Project Lets You

• Deploy an email and PIM solution out-of-the-box
• RIM functionality on commodity phones and other
  smartphones
• Use embedded SyncML clients or Funambol plug-ins
• Integrate third party connectors
• Extend an email/PIM solution with your backend
• Create a connector to your CRM, ERP, DB,
  Groupware, CMS, your weird backend,
• Create a disconnected mobile application
• Create a mobile application with local storage
• Use existing connectors OR create a new one

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Wrap up

• The mobile applications market today is full of
  proprietary expensive lock-you-in solutions, yet
  it is happening now and it is mission critical
• The mobile applications infrastructure (starting
  with mobile email) is going to be a commodity
• Mobile email is not rocket science
• Open Source is the answer for commodity markets
  use the mobile open source stack and short RIM.
  Only rocket science can cost you fifty dollars a
  month
• Focus on added value to create competitive
  advantage. Leave the plumbing to the plumbers

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Pointers

• Funambol Project
• www.funambol.org
• Me
• capo_at_funambol.com
• Blog www.fabcapo.com
• Cell 1 650 455 1405 (use it with moderation)

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Open Source Changes the Game in Mobile Email
Fabrizio Capobianco, Funambol CEO

• open source is addictive