Sapio Takes Mobile Phone Photography To The Next Level
Australian owned embedded software smarts means more for photos
Sydney 5 July 2007: The transformation of the mobile phone into a sophisticated multi-function device takes another step forward today with the help of an innovative new service offering featuring Australian owned software smarts.
The mobile application development division of ASX listed Entertainment Media & Telecoms (EMT), Sapio today announced the European release of its photo sharing software, confirming plans are on track to channel services for mobile phone users through four service providers across Scandinavia.
Sapio, which secured a deal with Nokia last year, has forged a software trial that makes it fast and easy for consumers to maximise the benefit of increasingly sophisticated integrated cameras.
The software developed by Sapio allows consumers to forward photographs to be developed, with profile-managed delivery to a home address or pick up from participating retail outlets. Payment is made via credit card or from personal accounts and the application is available for download from selected websites.
Fujifilm, ExtraFilm and lfi Photolabo have signed on to service the initiative in Demark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, which provides a large catchment area for trialling consumer uptake of the service.
John Houston is the CEO of EMT and a man well versed with successfully predicting consumer trends when it comes to mobile technology. Houston engineered success for Hutchison divisions in Europe and Asia, as well as being the force behind the US$70m sale of hospitality broadband specialists inter-touch (BVI) to NTT DoCoMo.
John Houston was the Chairman of Sapio at the time of its sale to EMT, and says the company has gone past the role of a traditional developer by cementing the deals that will support availability and uptake of the application by a broad consumer market.
Houston believes the embedded mobile application and service model supports the consumer trend of using mobile phones to fulfil the majority of their On Demand requirements.
"Mobile phones with cameras are fantastic because they allow consumers to capture a great moment at any time, without having to think about taking another piece of technology with them where every they go. The cameras integrated into mobile phones are fast rivalling stand alone camera units for quality but the missing element was a fast, efficient and affordable way to get great prints," said Mr. Houston.
"The application eliminates the need for separate hardware, separate software and hours spent uploading from separate media. It is now as spontaneous and convenient to get high quality digital prints from your phone as it is to take great photos with your phone, and that's a winning combination," he said.
The successful launch of the photo sharing software and service model is another turning point for EMT, as the company continues a stellar round of developments in the mobile applications trading space.
Fresh on the heels of an $18m development deal in Asia and a mobile lotto application rolled out for Scandinavia's largest totaliser, ATG, EMT is riding high on demand for solutions that securely feed a high volume of mobile transactions to mass consumer markets.
The agreement forged provides for Sapio to be the prime operator of the 'monitoring and collecting' revenue from service providers in all four countries where the trial is being conducted.
While the service is not currently available to customers outside Scandinavia, it is anticipated a successful trial in Europe will underpin a roll out with partners in other regions
ETC
entertainment media & telecoms corporation limited
