Nokia and Motorola have presented yesterday at the 3GSM show in Cannes two new smartphones that will battle this year to conquest the leadership in this segment of the market. They have similar characteristics, but they use different operating system, but overall finally we will have two smartphones with not only GPRS but WI-FI too.

Who of the two will win this “final battle”?  Symbian or Microsoft?

The one from Nokia is the new Communicator 9500 that will arrive on the market in Q3/04 at an estimated price of about 800 euros.  The 9500 is a triband GPRS/EDGE and utilizes the Symbian 7.OS, it has WI-FI integrated (IEEE 802.11b) and his weight is 222 grams .  Double display, 65k colours both: the internal one has a resolution of 640x220, the external 128x128 and uses the same user interface of the Series 40.

VGA camera integrated, full Bluetooth connectivity (connectivity to a pc is also possible via USB utilizing the DKU-2 cable), e-mal client POP3 and IMAP4, browser HTML/XTML, HTML 4.01 with Javascript compatibility and support for secure protocols SSL/TLS – Ipsec VPN.   The Nokia 9500 will come with a full range of applications to handle documents, sheets, multimedia presentations.   There will be a full range of accessories too: the Connectivity Desk Stand to synch and recharge, the Mobile Holder to install the 9500 in the car and a line of covers to personalize the exterior of this smartphone.

On the other side, Motorola has officially announced the new smartphone MPx that will become the top of the Motorola’s line of cellular phones with Microsoft Smartphone 2003 and will be available in the second half of this year.   It is a tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 and GPRS phone.

The MPx will be a PDA phone, a real Pocket PC with integrated IrDA, Bluetooth and WI-FI connectivity, one camera 1.3 mega pixel with flash, a multifunction QWERTY keyboard, and an innovative system to open the flip: it can  works vertically to be used like a normal cellular phone or it can works horizontally to be used to works with PDA applications and to play.

The display is obviously touch-screen type, 2.8” with a resolution of 240x320 and 65K colours. There is also an external colour display.

The MPx is fully compatible with all Pocket PC applications and supports SD and MMC till 1GB of capacity.

With the Windows Media Player, the Motorola MPx also provides users with essential entertainment options to balance out the busy workday. In a snap, executives on the road can take pictures using the MPx’s integrated camera with flash and send them home to family and friends.1 Powerful messaging capabilities and the large dual-hinge internal landscape and portrait display also make sending and receiving movie or video clips a breeze via e-mail, MMS, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
"Mobile email is the "hero" application for mobile professionals looking to stay in touch in real time. This revolutionary compact form factor combines powerful hardware and software enablers and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile software, to create a true mobile assistant – helping mobile professionals stay ahead of the curve," Tom Lynch, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Personal Communications Sector, Motorola, Inc. "The MPx expands the MOTOPro portfolio, enabling businesses and mobile professionals to leverage the power of mobility and convergence."

The Motorola MPx offers:

Microsoft Windows Mobile software: Making the Motorola MPx truly an extension of your desktop, this cutting-edge device supports a multitude of business applications including Microsoft Outlook e-mail and PIM, Microsoft Word, Excel and more.

• No strings attached: The Motorola MPx tri-band GSM/GPRS device supports integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology for both data centric and voice centric communications with compatible devices, for the ultimate in hands-free connectivity.
• Design: Boasting a truly unique and innovative form factor, the Motorola MPx is the must-have solution to help driven professionals manage their mobile lives in realtime while adding new convenience to the converged device, resulting in a user-friendly and stylish mobile.
• Advanced camera capabilities: With an impressive 1.3 mega-pixel camera and flash embedded on the Motorola MPx, messages can be delivered with more than just words.
• Expansive memory: To leverage the device's ability to download Microsoft Pocket PC and Java applications, games, photos and more, the model MPx comes with a SD/MMC slot supporting up to 1 GB of memory.
• Synchronization: Built in "ActiveSync" and "Air-sync" makes the model MPx capable of synching with Microsoft Outlook for easy organization. Additionally, the device supports Infrared IRDA 115 kbps for data exchange and Consumer IR (CIR) for control of audio/video and home automation equipment on the fly.
• Ease of use: The Motorola MPx supports a variety of input methods making it quick and effortless to transfer data, including a numeric keyboard, a thumb QWERTY board and stylus and touch sensitive screen to support smooth operations.

The size is 99.7x61.2x24 millimetres and the weight 174 grams .

Motorola has declared an autonomy of 140 hours in standby and 180 minutes in conversation.