Apple Computer on Tuesday updated its iSync and QuickTime software as part of an effort to make sure that Macs and cell phones have plenty to talk about.

Both modest updates are aimed at taking advantage of the growing importance of wireless phones in the technology world. With iSync 1.1, Apple has increased the total number of cell phones that can exchange information with a Mac to about 20.

Version 6.3 of the QuickTime streaming media software, meanwhile, gains support for new cell phone multimedia standards. QuickTime, which acquired MPEG-4 support in July, now supports wireless devices compatible with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, which promotes telecommunications standards for mobile systems.

Apple is trying to take advantage of the fact that more powerful phones and networks are making it increasingly feasible to send photos or to play music, news or video over handheld devices. Like rivals RealNetworks and Microsoft, Apple hopes to curry favor with cell phone manufacturers as the market develops, in its case to sell its multimedia servers.

But while Microsoft and RealNetworks have focused on promoting proprietary formats for digital media distribution, Apple says it is focused on standards. And while RealNetworks and others want to see their players used on cell phones, Apple says it is more concerned that its software is used to create content and is happy as long as that content can be played on a variety of devices.

Full Article:
CNet News