iSkoot expands 'smartphone lite' platform beyond AT&T
Published: 18 March, 2009
iSkoot says it is offering a software development kit, called KalaidaLive, to handset makers so that they can turn their low end featurephones into web-enabled devices. The company has developed a web-based solution that maintains constant connection to social networking, news, email and instant messaging services, using iSkoot servers in the cloud, which push updates to the KalaidaLive devices.
The company has been offering a similar service to AT&T, which has enabled more than 20 of its handsets with these simplified web services, targeting those who want to use the mobile web, but cannot afford smartphones or hefty data contracts - and will not be satisfied with the basic WAP experience. AT&T currently offers its iSkoot-enabled phones with a $15 a month data plan, in addition to a regular voice plan. The carrier was attracted by iSkoot's expertise in integrating web services deeply into the carrier's software stack to improve performance even on low end devices - it has already done this for Skype on the AT&T system.
Hutchison subsidiary INQ, which is making midrange phones optimized for individual web services such as Facebook, also uses iSkoot technology in its Skype phone, offered by its Hutchison stablemate 3. However, INQ's newer phones will use its own technology, with deeper integration, while iSkoot is aiming to attract a wide base of handset makers from the big five to white label ODMs.
Last fall, iSkoot completed a $19m Series C round of financing led by Vision Opportunity Master Fund, with additional participation from existing investors Charles River Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Jesselson Capital Corporation and ZG Ventures. iSkoot recently acquired Social.IM, a desktop IM client enabling real time communication and notifications across social networks.
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