Zumobi partners with Microsoft for widget distribution

January 23, 2008

Zumobi takes accessing, retrieving and sharing online content beyond typical mobile browsers. Photo credit: Zumobi

Zumobi, the mobile content platform developer formerly known as Zenzui, partnered with Microsoft for the distribution of its browser and widget platform.

Per the agreement, Microsoft will distribute the Zumobi Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform via its Windows Mobile operating system.

“For Zumobi it continues our business growth,” said Cindy Spodek Dickey, vice president of marketing, Zumobi, Seattle. “Microsoft is a very strong, very attractive partner.”

Zumobi differs from other mobile browsers in that its background caching allows users to interact with information and entertainment. It works even when a user’s mobile phone is beyond wireless service, for example, on a plane or in a subway.

Users can also populate their personal “zoom space” with custom-designed interactive Zumobi widgets called Tiles.

For Zumobi, bottom-up consumer adoption is important, but more important is top-down strategic partnerships. The key benefit of an alliance with Microsoft is that it will quickly introduce Zumobi to a few million Windows Mobile users, Ms. Dickey said.

Windows Mobile is currently shipped on devices from more than 48 device makers with 125 mobile operators in 55 countries. More than 140 devices worldwide are based on the mobile operating system.

Zumobi is focused on attracting the mobile sweet spot: trendsetters ages 21-40. These users are most likely to have an all-you-can eat data plan.

“Right now we’re looking at the classic early adopter in the mobile space,” Ms. Dickey said.

Partnering with Microsoft puts Zumobi in touch with this segment.

For marketers, the Zumobi browser has an intuitive user interface. Its widgets are interactive. The intention is to offer marketers a better way to connect with consumers through their mobile phones.

Brands can create and distribute their own Tiles, run their mobile advertising and connect to consumers via split Tiles.

“We have a very compelling proposition: you can choose your own zoom space and chose the Tiles that you want in it – they’re very intuitive and give them a visual appeal unlike anything else,” Ms. Dickey said. “Then, of course, you can develop them yourself.”

Both marketing models address an advertiser need, whether they want to own an entire space or affiliate themselves with the lifestyle and content around the zoom space, she said.

Zumobi’s content partners include MTV Networks, AccuWeather.com, Traffic.com, FlightStats.com and Fox Television’s “Family Guy.”

Zumobi will be available next month on BlackBerry and J2ME Java 2 Mobile Edition.

Also starting next month consumers will be able to download Zumobi from Windows Mobile Owner’s circle at Windowsmobile.com.

Ms. Dickey said there will be additional distribution outlets via Microsoft partners that she couldn’t disclose.

“More distribution, more Tiles, more content more opportunities for users to develop their own Tiles,” are in the works, she said.