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Open Standards for Cell Phone Components
PoisonousPhat writes "STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Nokia and ARM have formed the Mobile Industry Processor Interface Alliance (MIPI), who seek to define open standards for cell phone components. Forget that expensive camera phone, just plug in a third-party device." Update: 07/30 18:13 GMT by T : Thanks to Alain Mellan for the link to STMicroelectronics.
An open standard could open up a huge market for 3rd-party products and accessories, much like the PC standard did for computer components. This is exactly the sort of thing that could really boost cell phone technology, by allowing smaller, more nimble companies to roll out new products into a broad market.
Of course, it's so good to think of, I can't imagine that it would actually happen!
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This looks more like an internal standard to aid developers to devlop embedded software / hardware components that build a cellphone and won't have any real effect on users.
The possibilities for software reuse will be limited to low level things like drivers, because all phone manufacturers feel the need to customise the software to make their product unique
It is true that for computers, standard have a long history of not being very well followed. Nevertheless, they have played a major role in the speed at which the computer field has evolved since it started. Not only that, but they also are the main reason why we can now so easily share information on the internet(although some would say too much information, but that is another story...).
I just got the sanyo 8100 for $100. It was a Sprint promotion for new subscribers. I also considered a third-party device on a cheaper phone, but it was rather bulky and unmanagable. Open standards however would make for faster development and deployment of new technologies. Not to mention two-way radio across service providers THAT would be great.
If the mobile phone companies start using standards how are they going to be able to force you to buy a new data cable, cigarette charger, hands free kits, and the like?
Oh, and God forbid that they have to stop charging $30 for a cheap as hell car charger and $50 for a data cable for the phones.
...And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me." - Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
Is this the same Nokia who haven't changed the design on a charger since the introduction of the 5110 more than 5 years ago? And whose data cables are valid for a whole range of phones, rather than just the one model?
EGG, the Electronic Gamers Guild
Standardized rechargers will never come, though, because that would commoditize them instead of forcing you to buy a particular one for your phone. I would love to see the day when one "wall wart" can power anything, but it's just not gonna happen!
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My general impression is that such standards are adhered to rather strictly. Or at least, any product that isn't quite compatible doesn't sell / gets returned to the store, and disappears from the marketplace very very fast.
Yeah the hardware is the first step, but I think the problem (at least in the USA) is that there aren't very good standards across the carriers. Up until recently you couldn't SMS an ATT mobile user if you were on Sprint. This sucks. In Europe and Asia you can SMS anyone (ok almost ~ 90%)as long as they have a mobile number, regardless of the carrier.
Why can't all audio jacks on cell phones for earpieces all utilize the SAME standard jacks such as on CD layers. And all power jacks should be the same, too. The ONLY reason to change the design every week is to force people to spend more money on home/office/car chargers, headphones, etc every time they get a new phone. It is nothing short of criminal. Cell phones are purposely designed to have different connectors to accessories for no good reason, other than extorting more money on the same accessories that need to be repurchased time and time again.
Get the fucking head phones and power cable standardized, THEN we'll talk about cameras/texting/keyboards and all that junk.
The problem is that as long as the service providers think they can make a quick buck by selling new services and people are daft enough to buy them then you will end up with all sorts of useless junk on your phone.
Is it me or does everyone remember the obsession that people had for tiny phones... the same people who are carrying something the size of a brick around simply because it can take pictures?
Microsoft has given you low expectations.
pcmcia, compact flash, ISA and PCI all work great. I really like the fact that I can take my CF from my camera to my laptop or my PDA. The M$DOS file system may not have been free, but it's well known enough to have outlived Microsoft's use of it and will live on after they abandon it for their patented file systems. I also like the fact that CF can easily be used as an IDE drive and you can stick any filesystem you like on it. Standards in hardware that really nail down the interface are good and CF is a good example.
Those companies that follow the M$ way and make dinky devices that don't work are shunned and their crap does not sell. Yes, you can make a PCI card that won't talk or a USB device that takes some obsucre command language over the standard interface. If you can't use is without a Windoze driver, I don't want it. I have a few of these devices around and a windoze98 computer to talk to them. I refuse to buy XP as I know most of those devices I have won't have drivers for it. Microshaft tried to screw everyone. What they did was screw themselves.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.