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Welcome to the December edition of the Orange Partner newsletter – and the last edition of 2006. We will resume the newsletter in February 2007.

This month we'll tell you the latest on the Orange Application Shop – a new, dedicated route to market for your applications...Plus, find out how to use the new – just launched – Java Security test tool – and get the most up-to-date info from the Symbian affiliate programme!

Read about our new IMS initiative, get the latest news from the MWI Initiative, gain an insight into M2M and absorb the third part of our feature on mobile music. Don't forget to also check-out the latest European subscriber figures.

Also, you can find out how to participate in a joint virtual seminar with Microsoft.

Finally you can find out what happened at Partner Camp, Cadiz, and download the reports and presentations from the web site  

We hope you enjoy the seasonal break however you elect to celebrate, and we will be in touch again in the New Year!

With best regards, on behalf of the Orange Partner Team

Steve Glagow
Orange Partner - Director

The Orange Application shop – a new, dedicated route-to-market

Launched at Orange Partner Camp, Cadiz, Spain, our first ever Application Shop is designed to offer you a brand new route to market for your applications.

The 'one-stop' Orange Application Shop will allow Orange customers to download applications for personal use.

The shop will be available via a wap and web site, and will complement our existing wap and web based routes to market, including the current Orange World and the Orange Applications Showcase for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

It will offer a huge range of applications aimed at personal use and feature applications across all major platforms -Symbian (Series 60, UIQ …), Linux and Microsoft.

We're initially looking for commercially-viable applications in English and Spanish, so if you are a premium member or contracted partner with applications available in English and Spanish –
submit them to the catalogue now >

Find out more about the Orange Application Shop – read the full press release >

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New Java de-fragmentation guidelines – now available

The guidelines which were produced with Sun as part of the Java de-fragmentation initiative are now available.

The deployment of the Java ME Platform over a wide range of phones has often resulted in over 400 different executables for a given title.

However, this is not a sustainable way of delivering software. It's too expensive to develop, test and sign, deliver, and maintain a different executable for each phone.

A better plan is to deliver software that is more adaptable and will run on a wide range of devices as this practice will greatly reduce the number of versions of the executable.

This aim (to de-fragment) is backed by many significant bodies in the industry and is now possible due to increased capability of the devices.

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New Orange Java Security test tool – use it now

Use the tool to help user eliminate suspicious or unusual use of Java within applications or content.  

To ensure a safe and pleasant experience for our customers when they download and use Java midlets on their phones, we've introduced a Java Security Policy, and consequently, a new tool called the Orange Java Security Tool.

The tool is to be used as part of the Orange Compatibility online testing process and allows us to set an appropriate behaviour policy for Java.  It also compliments the Orange Compatibility testing tool that we are using for handset compatibility testing. 

Find out more about the Orange Java security policy and the new test tool now >

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The latest developer info – direct from the Symbian Affiliate programme

Exclusive to Orange Partner premium members and contracted partners

If you're an Orange Partner premium member or contracted partner you can now gain access through your Orange Partner membership to the massive library of information within the Symbian Affiliate programme.

This includes access to generic Symbian API documentation prior to it being available in an SDK for general public/developer release.

Updated monthly, this is the developer library that Symbian produces for phone manufacturers to modify and include in their SDKs.

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The IMS Initiative – a new Orange Partner and France Telecom Group R&D initiative

Work with us to develop applications and services for possible deployment on the forthcoming France Telecom Group IMS platform.

Orange believes the future of telecoms is convergence, where the customer has a seamless experience using innovative services across multiple platforms.

In order to respond to these new needs, as part of the France Telecom Group integrated operator strategy, we have chosen to roll out an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) over our entire network.

IMS provides a framework for third-parties and operators to develop services rapidly and allows newly developed services to seamlessly inter-work with other infrastructures and service platforms.

As a result, Orange Partner have created the IMS initiative to involve you – our Orange Partner members -in France Telecom Group R&D's work in developing a test bed for IMS services.

Over the coming months we will provide you with up to date information, tools and access to the test IMS platform, to help you to create converged services in advance of our IMS platform deployment, and to shape the future of our IMS strategy.

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W3C/MWI Best Practices Guidelines – at proposed recommendation status

The W3C/MWI Best Practices Guidelines have now been submitted to the W3C Advisory Committee.

The Best Practices guidelines which have been developed by the W3C/MWI are a series of recommendations designed to improve the user experience of the Web on mobile devices.

The guidelines, which were recently updated to include a set of changes relating to the Default Delivery Context definition, have now reached 'proposed recommendation' status, and the W3C has sent them to the W3C Advisory Committee for final endorsement. 

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An insight into M2M – a world where machines are becoming intelligent

We provide you with an insight into M2M technology and market positioning ...

In 2004, 92 million of M2M (machine-to-machine) modules were in service, a figure which is expected to rise to 500 million by 2010.

M2M refers to solutions which allow machines to communicate with a central server without human intervention.

These applications involve three main types of players: telecommunications operators, software developers and equipment manufacturers and are often sector-specific.

Transport, logistics, supermarket retailing, water, gas and electricity distribution, monitoring, security and health are among the most promising sectors of activity.
 
M2M represents a formidable source of innovation and potential revenue, particularly in services. Technological progress should improve the performance and costs of the solutions.

Now it's up to operators to choose the right partners… read the full article now >

Find out about M2M2 and 'M2M Connect' on the Orange Partner web site >

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Music: mobiles practice their scales – part three

In the third part of this series (by Orange Badim) we take a look at four examples of successful music services

Having looked at how digital music encourages the growth of mobile music, the services and leverages for usage development we now examine some examples of successful music services.

Learn how au-KDDI sold 20 million songs in 20 months, how SK Telecoms has achieved integrated music services and learn more about the strategies of SFR and 3 in the France and the UK respectively.

Also, check out some examples of the range of offerings deployed by Orange in France as part of its music strategy. Including; Orange World Musique, Orange Music Store, Orange Music Cast… and a whole range of innovative services based on partnership

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European mobile customers – an update on the latest figures

414 million mobile customers at the end of September, corresponding to a penetration rate of 115%.

According to the EMC, the European mobile market continued its net growth trend in September, with 3.2 million new subs, matching the July and August figures*.

Italy, Germany and the UK are still at the top of the growth league table, but Spain came 4th in September, ahead of France.

With a net figure of more than 4 million new subs in the past year, Spain has gone past the 110% mark in terms of market penetration.

Get all the latest figures by country >

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Developing for Windows Mobile 5 - joint virtual seminar with Microsoft

Taking a look at Windows Mobile 5 from a developer perspective, reviewing what's available now and how it's changed.

Many of you have requested we hold a joint virtual seminar between Orange and Microsoft to explain a bit more about Windows Mobile version 5, and what it means to you.

So, join us and Microsoft on Wednesday 17th January for a joint virtual seminar entitled: Developing for Windows Mobile 5 with Orange and Microsoft

We'll review Visual Studio 2005, SDK availability, security policies for the Smartphone and PPC, and look at getting your application tested and signed to meet both Orange and Microsoft guidelines. 

And at the end, you'll have plenty of time to ask questions of both Microsoft and Orange.

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Orange Partner Camp, Cadiz – the presentations are published

Get the low-down on all that happened, find out who was there, what information was presented, who won the Contest and lots more…

This was the biggest Orange event held for existing and potential partners so far, with over 450 attendees who had descended on Cadiz from far and wide...

Find out who was there and watch the video >

Over 75 sessions were held over the three days. They were presented or led by 58 speakers from across the Orange and France Telecom Group, plus representatives from our sponsors.

View and download the presentations >

Nearly 70 applicants entered the Orange Innovation Contest to win a possible commercial contract with Orange (and a Wurlitzer jukebox) or the Access prize (a brand new award for this Contest in Cadiz).

Find out about the winners >

And finally, what do YOU want from Partner Camps in the future? 

Let us know who you are (technical or commercial), what you want from Partner Camp, and how you want us to give it to you.  We'd love to know, as it'll help shape our future camps.

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Are you reading off of the same page as your fellow newsletter subscribers?

The Orange Partner newsletter is the best way for our partners to regularly keep up with the latest market and technology developments from Orange and the mobile industry.

To help you keep up to date we've collated the top 5 stories and articles from the newsletter and website that were of interest to our members last month (compiled using clicks per page analysis).

• ACCESS Linux platform – an Orange approved platform

• Java de-fragmentation – new guidelines and toolkit

• Music: mobiles practice their scales – part two

• Devices, devices, devices - check out the devices by country page

• New section with useful articles and reports on the mobile industry

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