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Will tomorrow's technology meet your subscribers' needs? Manufacturers share what's on tap for handset development.

For every phone, there's a subscriber. There are sleek phones with colorful faceplates; shiny, tiny phones and multibutton, multifunction phones. In today's wireless market, handset personalization isn't just a matter of choice, it's a matter of technology. WAP and voice markup language (VoxML) has promised to take that personalization one step further with downloadable ring tones, hybrid PC phones and on-the-fly voice activated Web browsing.

Based on the World Wide Web Consortium's extensible markup language (XML) standards, Motorola created VoxML, a voice interface that will allow access to the Web. The application follows the syntactic or voice-to-text technology of XML to support the creation of interactive speech applications. VoxML is not a wireless protocol, so it can be accessed via a wireline or wireless phone directly dialing into the browser. Instead of using a PC equipped with an HTML-operated Web browser, a user enters a database, via the Internet or intranet, through a voice browser and receives information back through an audio/grammar Web server.

Although VoxML will not be limited to the wireless industry, providers are especially interested in its ability to give customers more hands-free capabilities. Facing the possibility of strict no-talk-and-drive laws in several states, subscribers could benefit greatly from the added safety VoxML will bring to the mobile environment.

Paul Gill, U.S. Cellular director of procurement, said voice-activated Web browsing could expand wireless-data offerings, but he didn't see it completely taking over as the navigational tool for the wireless Web.

"Voice recognition has always been a problem," he said. "VoxML will not be able to replace good old-fashioned WML."

Nevertheless, in March, Motorola unleashed a multimillion dollar advertising blitz for Mya, its VoxML application. Current reports from Motorola have Mya being deployed later this quarter.

In the meantime, Motorola is working to expand VoxML Web applications with its VoxML Developer Program. Without a large portfolio of VoxML Web hosts, the technology could fall flat.

To combat this possible problem, Motorola has created VoxML as an open interface, allowing potential Web developers to download the development kit directly from Motorola's Web site. Once the development software is installed, a developer can use VoxML in the user-dialog statements to create a file that formally defines the dialog, enabling seamless voice access to the Web page.

Not wanting to give away his company's strategies, Gill said U.S. Cellular is focused on rolling out more personalization applications, of which VoxML could be one. Once the technology is available, 1-touch VoxML access may be only a matter of embedding a phone number into a handset's phone book.

Also on the horizon is VerbalTek's VerbalWAP, another voice-navigation microbrowser. Unlike VoxML, this product is specifically designed for the mobile world and advances existing methods of speech input through embedded systems. With VerbalTek's VerbalInput technology, speech-to-text algorithms are delivered in WAP-friendly codes straight to a user's handset. VerbalWAP is designed for easy integration into current and future wireless microbrowsers and is compatible with an i-Mode interface. The language-based system won't be limited to English-users, either. VerbalTek expects to release the product in multiple languages including Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

WAP Phones

Poised to deliver expanded customization, several handset makers are expecting to launch WAP-enabled phones in the United States as early as the end of this year. Nokia has announced its exclusive 7100 series WAP-compatible phones. The 7100 offers voice dialing, a 1,000-entry memory bank, Bluetooth technology and an infrared link that allows users to share information with their PC databases. According to Randy Roberts, Nokia manager of digital convergence, the 7100 series also features predictive text input, can support data at 14.4kb/s and is a dual-band GSM900/GSM 1800 phone.

The 7100's ability to allow subscribers to compose their own ring tones or download musical ring tones directly to their phones also gives added personalization to the handset. With WAP technology, subscribers even can use the opening notes to a No. 1 pop song for their ring tones.

Another key feature of WAP phones is the ability to download photo-quality graphics. Here, expanded screen function becomes crucial for delivery. Samsung's high-resolution, WAP-ready IMT - 2000 phone is able to support moving pictures with a 2-inch reflective TFT-LCD display screen. With low-temperature poly-silicon processing, driver circuits and peripheral circuits are built in, enhancing the portability and vibration resistance.

PC Phones

Judging by the concept phones of Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung, handsets eventually will act more like PCs than phones. Roberts said hybrid phones such as these are the future for wireless handsets.

Ericsson's WAP-enabled personal communicator looks like a miniature Starship Enterprise. Complete with a docking station, the smart phone has an embedded digital camera to allow for video conferencing, and can compose, send and receive faxed messages.

Advanced microprocessors give the Ericsson hybrid and its smart-phone cousins PC capabilities. The storage and creation of larger volumes of data, as well as sharing data between devices, may eventually allow users to leave their PCs behind. Ericsson's latest prototype is a GSM phone with a 32 ROM/16 RAM operating system built in. Delivering Bluetooth operability, the handset offers effortless connectivity with a user's printer, PC or PDA. The display screen on Ericsson's new handset is also about 15% larger than average handsets to allow for better Internet browsing and message composition.

On Nokia's 7100 series phones, Navi Roller and Navi Key technology make it especially easy to browse through files and enter information in dialog boxes. The Navi Roller naturally mimics a mouse without taking up as much room as arrow controls. Tim Walden, CenturyTel director of network planning, said "optimizing belt space" is a customer priority.

"Integrated devices will save subscribers the hassle of having to carry around a pager, a Palm Pilot and a phone," Walden said.

U.S. Cellular's Gill envisions a portable that will automatically call your mother on her birthday and be able to send picture post cards of your latest vacation.

"It's not a matter of if, but when," he said.

Digital organizers are jumping on the wireless bandwagon as well. With the introduction of the Palm VII, wireless-handset manufacturers are scrambling to offer more software applications to rival the latest wireless PDA.

Currently, Palm offers business, educational, add-on security and entertainment software all on its Palm VII, a streamlined wireless device with few buttons and a wide screen. Looking at handset manufacturers' concept phones, it's clear the Palm VII had an influence on the design and functionality of these devices.

But Gill is quick to point out that the Palm VII is not a phone and has yet to make the move to adding high-quality voice applications.

What Customers Want

With all of the advances being made in handsets, sometimes the technology can get too far ahead of your subscribers or even your network. Many of tomorrow's concept phones use hi-tech interfaces such as GSM and cdma2000, causing manufacturers to bemoan providers' not upgrading their networks faster.

"3G networks will offer higher data speeds and give the devices the infrastructure they need to operate the way they were meant to," Roberts said.

On the other hand, providers say the high cost of upgrading the network leaves little room for subsidizing cutting-edge handsets.

U.S. Cellular currently offers Audiovox, Ericsson, Kyocera and Nokia phones. According to Gill, Nokia's more economical models make up the lion's share of U.S. Cellular subscriber handsets.

"You know these phones aren't cheap for us or our customer," Gill said. "Once they come down in price, I think you will see a lot of them being used."

For example, Samsung and LGIC USA both offer an MP3 player/recorder embedded in a handset. But with costs running as high as $450 to $500 for a similar model available in Korea, some providers feel turning a handset into a music-listening device is not a realistic approach to customer demands.

"I'm not so sure your average subscriber is going to be utilizing those applications (MP3)," Gill said. "Technology has to be focused on what the customer wants and what he will pay for."

Beauty for the Beholder

For some customers, the way a handset looks on the outside is just as crucial as the technology used inside.