An important deal clinched by Real Networks with Vodafone has potentially kept mobile multimedia available for the masses after Real Networks had to fight off competition from none other than Microsoft. Imagine a world where all media was controlled by Microsoft and only able to be played on Microsoft smartphones. This would have been a dream come true for The Beast.......

[quote="BBC News Online"]
No financial terms of the deal were disclosed but Vodafone is buying the software for a flat price, then paying licence fees for the server depending on how many customers take up the service.
[/quote]

However, the availability of RealPlayer for almost any OS in existence means that normal people with normal smartphones won't need to downgrade to a Microsoft based smartphone. In fact, it seems that the only platform not covered by the RealPlayer Mobile is the Microsoft Smartphone (but how many of those were sold anyway?).

[quote="BBC News Online"]
A spokesman for the group also suggested RealNetworks' coup would make it more difficult for Microsoft to now get a foothold in the lucrative mobile market.[/quote]

With millions of Symbian phones already out there running RealPlayer, combined with the desire for people to wow their friends with gimmicks, and of course those people who actually want mobile multimedia (despite the cost being prohibitive), Vodafone can only have made the right decision. The infrastructure, hardware and software is already in place.