Iway Mobile Ltd. of Beersheva will launch a pilot next month with China Unicom Ltd. (HKSE: 0762; SSE: 600050; NYSE: CHU), which has 150 million subscribers. Iway Mobile will install its Comodo 2 car console, a year after it launched the Comodo 1 console with Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL).
The Comodo console is a vehicle communications system that provides drivers with real-time information on a 4.3-inch screen via an external mobile modem and navigation system. The device provides access to content services, such as online radio and TV stations, parking by mobile payment, and information from websites. The Comodo can also be purchased as a box, which is connected to an internal screen found in some cars, without the need for an external screen.
The Comodo 2 has major upgrades, including a wireless internet hook-up, internal (rather than external) mobile modem, and 6.2-inch screen. It uses the Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 operating system (rather than the 5.0 version).
Iway Mobile founder and CEO Danny Knafo said that the company chose to stay with Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT), rather than switch to Google Inc's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android because carmakers are conservative, and various car systems are based on Windows. He said that the company currently sells 70 consoles a day.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 26, 2012
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