iPhone on the way to Open Wireless Architecture (OWA)

iPhone on the way to Open Wireless Architecture (OWA)

When the New York teenage unlcoked the iPhone, it sent the message to the world: iPhone is one the way to liberate itself! Basically, Apple never cares to lock or unlock the phone, as it makes profits by selling the phone, not selling the services. Furthermore, Steve Jobs hopes it is fully unlocked so that anyone can easily use it anywhere and anytime, same experience as iPod.

Apple computer is in Cupertino, the heart of Silicon Valley and also my hometown, where WiFi is a free service across the city of Cupertino, and the speed is quite high. There is hugh demand to have iPhone working in WiFi networks which is totally unlocked and free service. From Cupertino to Palo Alto, most Furtune 500 IT executives and big guys are living there, and they push Steve Jobs to consider unlocked iPhones for WiFi and other broadband wireless access networks.

Furthermore, Cisco, Google and Intel also pushing hard the upcoming mobile phone business supporting unlocked and multiple wireless standards to offer the truly service-oriented information delivery platform.

Therefore, the game is pretty clear for Apple: iPhone needs to go open wireless architecture (OWA) and it is the best time to do so:

1. iPhone was lunched on AT&T GSM networks with iPhone locked,
2. iPhone starts to operate in WiFi networks and can be unlocked as requested by users,
3. iPhone will be operative in 3G networks and can be unlocked as requested by users,
4. iPhone will be operative in WiMax networks and can be unlocked as requested by users,
5. iPhone will support OWA Phase I with 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 air interfaces in the same iPhone,
6. iPhone will support OWA Phase II with open air interface standards in the SIM Card or AI (Air-Interfaces) Card.

Once iPhone is going for OWA openness, it is ready for VoIP, mobile searching and full landscape of mobile applications and services. In long term, Apple, Cisco, Google, Oracle and Intel, etc will all work together to create the truly service-oriented 4G (fourth generation) mobile communications.

Keep your eyes open for iPhone as it goes for open wireless architecture in long run!