RealNetworks' New Licensing Gives Handset Manufacturers the Flexibility to Enable Multimedia on a Broad Range of Mobile Devices

RealNetworks' New Licensing Gives Handset Manufacturers the Flexibility to Enable Multimedia on a Broad Range of Mobile Devices

Real Introduces New RealAudio and RealVideo Licensing and Handset Compatibility Guidelines for Commercial Interoperability With the Leading Helix Universal Mobile Platform

SEATTLE, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- RealNetworks(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:RNWK), the leading creator of digital media services and software, today announced new licensing to provide handset manufacturers with the flexibility to enable any mobile device with content-rich RealAudio(R) and RealVideo(R) multimedia functionality. Real also announced a new Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK), designed specifically for handset manufacturers wanting to deliver a seamless experience for consumers accessing media on a mobile device delivered via a mobile operator using the industry leading Helix(TM) Universal Mobile platform.

"Seamless interoperability is essential to ensure that mass market mobile media services are a success," said Aref Matin, Vice President, Carrier and Systems Software, RealNetworks, Inc. "Providing manufacturers with a flexible audio and video licensing option combined with the new TCK will ensure that handset manufacturers bring to market devices that are interoperable with the globally deployed Helix Universal Mobile platform."

Available today, the new RealAudio and RealVideo licensing option is part of the commercial RealNetworks Community Source License (RCSL 2.0), https://helixcommunity.org/content/licenses . For the first time, this new flexible licensing option enables manufacturers to integrate RealAudio and RealVideo with the multi-format Helix DNA Client media engine, or a different media player of their choice, with no differential in cost.

"SavaJe OS(TM) open media framework allows mobile operators and handset manufacturers to deliver a wide range of rich media content to their customers," said George Grey, Executive Vice President, Product Management and New Business, SavaJe Technologies. "Consequently, we look forward to bringing the ubiquity of RealAudio and RealVideo to SavaJe OS".

"We welcome Real's new licensing flexibility," said Dr. Osama Al-Shaykh, VP Technology at PacketVideo. "We look forward to supporting RealAudio and RealVideo formats in our multimedia players".

The newly available Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) gives handset manufacturers the ability to thoroughly test devices before release-to- manufacturing and to ship with the confidence that those devices are fully interoperable with the Helix Universal Mobile platform. To date, dozens of mobile operators worldwide have deployed Real's Helix Universal Mobile platform to deliver multimedia programming to mobile subscribers. Available today at http://client-tck.helixcommunity.org/ , the free TCK provides Helix community members with a set of detailed and comprehensive test scenarios that will help decrease the operator acceptance testing cycles for multimedia functionality. The TCK is valid for devices shipping the Helix DNA Client media engine, RealAudio and RealVideo enabled media players, as well as for third party 3GPP media players.

About RealNetworks, Inc.

RealNetworks, Inc. is the leading creator of digital media services and software including the award-winning Rhapsody(R) Internet jukebox service and RealPlayer 10, the first digital media player to integrate finding, organizing, buying, playing and managing digital audio and video in a single product. Consumers can access and experience audio/video programming and download RealNetworks' consumer software at http://www.real.com/ . Broadcasters, network operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks' products and services to create and deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics devices. RealNetworks' systems and corporate information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com/ .

NOTE: RealNetworks, Rhapsody, RealPlayer, RealAudio, RealVideo and Helix are trademarks or registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other companies or products listed herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.


Source: RealNetworks, Inc.

CONTACT: The Americas, Lisa Strong of RealNetworks, +1-206-892-6585, or
lstrong@real.com; or Europe, Edward Howson of Axicom, +44-7740-173-051, or
edward.howson@axicom.com, for RealNetworks

Web site: http://www.realnetworks.com/


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