ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, October 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) today announces that leading handset manufacturers LG Electronics (LG), Research In Motion (RIM), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung) and Sharp Corporation (Sharp) will support the JIL widget specification in future mobile handsets from Q1 2010.

The launch of a wide range of JIL widget compliant handsets will enable developers to create applications that can be rolled out to customers across the JIL member companies of China Mobile, SOFTBANK, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, who have a combined user base of more than 1 billion across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

Customers will benefit from having a wide range of useful and innovative mobile applications to choose from.

While JIL compliant handsets have launched in some European countries and China, this is the first time that major handset manufacturers have committed to global adoption of the JIL widget standard across devices.

"The decision of LG, RIM, Samsung and Sharp to incorporate the JIL widget specifications in their future product roadmap is proof of the tremendous potential that JIL offers both to developers and customers," said Peters Suh, JIL CEO. "All four companies are innovation leaders and this is another strong affirmation of both JIL strategy and its robust technical specifications."

JIL is a joint venture involving China Mobile, SOFTBANK, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone established in 2008 to promote the development of new mobile technologies, applications and services. Its focus has been to create a single global platform for developers to encourage the creation of a wide range of innovative and useful mobile widgets. These mobile widgets will be capable of enhancing the mobile internet experience for customers on a variety of smartphones as well as mid- and low-cost handsets across several operating systems and distributed through JIL operators' applications stores.

JIL has developed a platform for mobile widgets centred around mobile operators' unique capabilities which enables the developer community to develop applications for all types of handsets as well as give customers access to a range of compelling, rich internet services.

* EDITOR'S NOTE: A widget is a small, web-based application that gives customers access to useful services such as weather guides, stock lists and flight trackers and entertainment services such as games and music.

About China Mobile

China Mobile is the world's largest mobile operator with more than 450 million subscribes (as of December 31, 2008). China Mobile has been a leading player in the mobile communications industry, and it is the global partner of Shanghai World Expo2010. In 10 years, China Mobile has established a world class mobile network with over 360,000 base stations, as the mobile network with best coverage and largest scale in the world. Being included in Fortune Global 500 for 9 consecutive years, China Mobile's latest ranking is No.99. In 2008, China Mobile Limited became the first and only company from Mainland China to be listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, please visit http://www.chinamobile.com .

About SOFTBANK

SOFTBANK GROUP offers its customers a range of services including mobile communications, broadband infrastructure, fixed-line telecommunications, internet culture, e-Commerce, and others. SOFTBANK MOBILE achieved the No. 1 position in net additions for FY 2007 and FY 2008 in the Japanese market, with a total of 21,316,900 subscribers as of September 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.softbank.co.jp .

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving 87.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 87,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About Vodafone

Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group with approximately 315 million proportionate customers as at 30 June 2009. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 31 countries across five continents and around 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.vodafone.com