Mobile phone software developer, Purple Labs is to acquire the mobile applications suite and software engineering team of Sagem Mobiles. The asset sale to Purple Labs is linked to an announcement by SAFRAN, a French technology group, that it is selling its Sagem Mobiles business unit to the private equity group, Sofinnova Partners - which is also an investor in Purple Labs.
SAFRAN will join Sofinnova as a shareholder in the new entity, which will be called Sagem Wireless.
Purple Labs and Sagem Wireless also agreed to enter into a multi-year license and development agreement, whereby Purple Labs will provide Sagem Wireless with all of the application software for its products, and all of the software for its future 3G Linux devices based on LiMo Foundation requirements.
"Sagem has long been at the forefront of mobile phone innovation in Europe," said Simon Wilkinson, Purple Labs CEO. "Following our recent acquisition of the Openwave browser business, the addition of this Sagem portfolio and engineering team will clearly position Purple Labs to lead the industry in creating rich user experience on mass-market devices."
On June 30th, Purple Labs announced that it had completed a $32 million deal to acquire the Openwave mobile phone software business. Earlier this year, NXP Semiconductors and Purple Labs jointly announced the release of a 3G Linux reference feature phone at a transfer price below US$100.
Sony Ericsson and Sagem had previously announced a partnership in 1Q07, concerning entry-level GSM, GPRS, and EDGE mobile phones. As part of the licensing agreement, Sagem Communication licensed certain hardware and software technologies, related to mobile phone platforms, to Sony Ericsson. As part of the ODM agreement Sagem Communication provided Sony Ericsson with a number of Sony Ericsson branded mobile phones.
Based in Chamb�ry, France, Purple Labs is funded by three European venture capital firms: Sofinnova Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital, and Partners Group.
Posted to the site on 31st July 2008
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/32770.php