Vodafone, China Mobile and Japanese carrier Softbank announced an agreement to establish a joint innovation lab to promote the development of new mobile technologies, applications and services. The partners expect the initiative will help to increase usage of mobile Internet services.
In a statement, the three carriers said they plan to use the joint venture “as a platform to develop mobile services and drive innovation and synergy in the industry.”
The lab will focus on projects based on emerging technologies and market demand. The companies said that initially, they plan to use the lab to develop a platform for mobile widgets.
The establishment of the lab is subject to regulatory approvals and certain customary closing conditions.
