Matsushita Communication Ind. to trial Nokia's Series 60 platform

November 27, 2001 - Matsushita, the leading Japanese mobile handset manufacturer, and Nokia today announced an agreement under which Matsushita will start evaluating and testing Nokia's Series 60 platform. The recently introduced Series 60 platform is a terminal-software platform for smart phones that Nokia licenses to other mobile-handset manufacturers as a source-code product. Manufacturers will be able to integrate the Series 60 platform into their own phone designs running on top of the Symbian OS. "Matsushita's position is to research, develop and adopt best-suited platforms and solutions in order to provide our customers with mobile handsets that will support key open standards and services, such as multimedia messaging, in a ubiquitous broad-band network. We are playing an important role in launching new 3G operation services in Japan, thus constantly looking for best options that will ensure openness and the highest quality, simultaneously guiding us to the fastest route to truly global mobile services. We are excited to work with Nokia in spirit of openness and non-fragmentation effort, said Mr. Ken Suda, Director, Member of the Board, Overseas Operations, Matsushita Communication Ind.

"Matsushita and Nokia share the same goal of creating a large, unified mobile application market where consumers will have the freedom to choose their mobile devices according to personal preferences and yet be sure of accessing new exciting services without being limited by fragmented technologies. Our cooperation with Matsushita reflects industry-wide commitment to open mobile architecture, and therefore we are extremely pleased to work closely with our Japanese counterpart," said Pertti Korhonen, Senior Vice President, Mobile Software, Nokia

The Series 60 Platform is designed for phone categories providing users with easy-to-use, one-hand operated handsets characterized by rich communications and enhanced applications. The licensees will be able to integrate the software platform into their own application-driven phone designs and thus speed up the rollout of new phone models at lower costs. Nokia will license the Series 60 platform as a source-code product, which means that licensees will be able to differentiate their products from others and thus ensure their competitive edge in the mobile phone marketplace.

The Series 60 Platform will consist of key telephony and personal information management applications, browser and messaging clients, a complete and modifiable user interface - all designed to run on top of the Symbian OS, an operating system for advanced, data enabled mobile phones.

About Matsushita Communication Industrial
Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand products, is a principal subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., (NYSE: MC) and in mobile communications area. One of the world's first 3G handset manufacturers for commercial services in Japan, in fiscal year 2000-2001 the company recorded consolidated sales of 1,060 billion yen (US$8.56 billion). For more information, visit www.mci.panasonic.co.jp/english

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 six major exchanges. www.nokia.com

SOURCE Nokia