To Vie in Smartphones, Tech Giants Start Anew

The frenetic pace of the mobile phone industry has forced some of the technology world's largest players to make a break with the past. Microsoft, Intel and Nokia -- all leaders in their respective markets -- have struggled to capitalize on the rise of a new class of smartphones that can tap into a vast pool of software.

Those companies have come to the world's largest mobile technology conference here with a message: they are willing to abandon tradition if it means getting another shot at the fast-growing mobile device market and blunting the advance of companies like Apple and Google.

On Monday at the Mobile World Congress, Microsoft presented new smartphone software, the Windows Phone 7 Series, that succeeds its Windows Mobile line. Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, introduced the software to a room overflowing with journalists curious to see if it could live up to months of hype.

Nokia and Intel on Monday unveiled plans for a new operating system, called MeeGo, to power sophisticated smartphones and netbook computers.

Research In Motion Ltd., maker of the BlackBerry phone, unveiled an overhauled Internet browser for its devices to attract more non-business customers.

Twenty-four telecom operators have formed an alliance to build an open platform that will deliver applications to all mobile phone users in an effort to compete with Apple's successful apps store.

Google sees Apple as a valuable partner and sees no reason for that to change, a senior executive said amid rumors that Microsoft's Bing search engine may replace Google on the iPhone.