Nokia and Metrowerks Agree on Transfer of Application Development Technology to Nokia
Licensing Deal, Reseller Agreement and Purchased Assets Enrich Nokia's Offering for the Symbian OS
Ecosystem and Endorse Metrowerks Core Technology
AUSTIN, Texas, September 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nokia Corporation(NYSE:NOK) today
announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a portfolio of applications
development tools based on the Symbian Operating System and to license core
development tool technologies from Metrowerks Corporation, an independent subsidiary
of Freescale(TM) Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:
FSL).
Upon completion of the acquisition, the development and support resources
of the Metrowerks tools portfolio for the Symbian OS will be transitioned to
Nokia. In addition, Nokia Inc. will make employment offers to approximately
two-dozen Metrowerks employees, who are experts in these products. This will
complement the acquisition by bringing in the skill set required to develop
and support the portfolio. The employees will be located in a newly
established Nokia Inc. office in Austin, Texas.
Under the terms of the agreement, Metrowerks plans, upon closing of the
agreement, to license its core technologies, including its debugger, compiler
and award winning CodeWarrior(TM) Integrated Development Environment to
Nokia, and certain extensions to that core technology related to the Symbian
OS will be transferred to Nokia. Nokia intends to invest in the
platform-specific technologies, and also add new features and support to the
newly acquired tools. At the same time, Metrowerks will continue to invest in
and extend its core technologies. The combined offering helps ensure
availability and further the evolution of the highest quality development
tools for device and application creation on the Symbian OS.
The anticipated transaction is expected to benefit the entire Symbian
ecosystem, resulting in faster time to market by providing a single source
for platform and device development processes. It also is expected to help
developers build a broader and more versatile pool of applications for
Symbian-based platforms such as Series 60, 80 and 90, and Symbian UIQ.
Consequently, consumers and businesses using Symbian OS-based devices can
expect to have access to a wider selection of innovative applications.
"This agreement illustrates Nokia's commitment to Symbian as the best
operating system for advanced mobile devices as well as our support to
Symbian as the leading mobile platform for device creation and application
development," said Pertti Korhonen, CTO, Nokia. "The transaction will enable
Nokia to provide developers with a comprehensive wireless tools portfolio,
helping them to grow their mobile application revenues. We are very happy to
work with Metrowerks in this important area."
The closing of the transaction, subject to customary conditions, is
expected to occur during the 4th quarter, 2004. Upon completion, the suite of
development tools for the Symbian OS based platform and related support will
be available through Nokia and its channels, both to independent software
developers as well as to the entire Symbian OS ecosystem, including licensees.
"Metrowerks is committed to working closely with Nokia to enhance and
extend support for the Symbian platform with world class core technology,"
said Matt Harris, President and CEO, Metrowerks. "This deal is great news for
the Symbian OS development community, and it gives Metrowerks core technology
a significant position in Nokia's wireless development tools portfolio."
Metrowerks will be a reseller of the Nokia tools. The company will also
continue to serve the Symbian community with enhancements to its core
technology and with its line of CodeTEST(TM) Software Analysis Tools.
The transaction will enhance Nokia's developer offering, delivered by
Forum Nokia, by adding sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools for developers
and independent software vendors (ISVs) into the portfolio. At the same time,
Nokia will continue its close collaboration with the current development
tools vendors supporting the Symbian OS. Offerings from those vendors are
critical in covering various developer segments and securing developers'
freedom to use tools of their choice.
The employees related to the transaction are scheduled to become a part
of the Technology Platforms unit within Nokia. The new team will work closely
with Forum Nokia, which delivers technical and business support to almost 1.5
million registered developers at forum.nokia.com. Nokia forecasts it will
ship approximately 100 million developer platform devices during 2004.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its
experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company
has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of
mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet
Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily
lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on five major
exchanges.
About Metrowerks
Metrowerks Corporation creates CodeWarrior software and hardware products
and services for developers that focus on the consumer electronics,
transportation, wireless, and networking and communications industries. The
CodeWarrior product line includes hardware and software development tools and
middleware that enable customers to decrease their time to market. Founded in
1985, Metrowerks is an independent subsidiary of Freescale Semiconductor,
Inc. Metrowerks corporate headquarters are in Austin, Texas. Regional
headquarters are in Munich, Singapore and Tokyo. For more information:
www.metrowerks.com.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:
FSL) is a global leader in the design
and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer,
industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly
traded company in July, 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola,
Inc. (NYSE:
MOT). The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design,
research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30
countries. Freescale Semiconductor's 2003 sales were $4.9 billion (US). For
more information: www.freescale.com.
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