LG Electronics and Microsoft today announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form strategic collaboration in mobile technology.
The agreement was signed in Seoul by Yong Nam, Vice-Chairman and chief executive officer of LG Electronics and Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft.
"This agreement between LG and Microsoft will create critical momentum in the industry," said Yong Nam at the announcement ceremony. "With this partnership, mobile computing will truly become an everyday reality, and LG and Microsoft will be at the forefront of it."
"This MoU further strengthens Microsoft relationship with LG and demonstrates our joint commitment to delivering the most innovative mobile experiences to our customers," said Steve Ballmer. "We are excited that leading mobility solutions providers, such as LG, are aligning with our vision for mobility."
The agreement includes strategic collaboration in R&D, marketing, applications, and services in the field of converged mobile devices.
"Under the MoU, mobile device business will be reinforced through incorporating LG?s core competences in marketing and products in mobile and IT sector and Microsoft?s proficiency in Windows Mobile OS, application, and service," reads the press release the companies issued today.
Meanwhile larger home rival Samsung on the same day announced the launch of the domestic version of the Omnia touch screen handset model, based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system.
The model will be available from mid-November under an exclusive deal with No. 1 mobile operator SK Telecom, Samsung said.
Microsoft is hoping its Windows Mobile operating system can continue to challenge Symbian, a platform backed by Nokia and used in two-thirds of smartphones -- mobile handsets with computer-like capabilities.
Blackberry-maker Research in Motion and Apple's iPhone are also growing threats to Symbian, while several manufacturers are planning or have started to roll out smartphones based on Google's Android software.
Both LG and Samsung are members of the Symbian Foundation and are also developing models based on Android.