 Powering The On-Demand TV Generation
Press ReleaseEspial Enters Japanese MarketApril 02, 2001
OTTAWA, Canada - 2 April 2001: Espial, creators of software that powers the world
of smart Internet devices, today announced an expansion of their presence in global
markets for smart device technology and services. The company announced the opening
of Espial Asia, a sales and support operation headquartered in Japan. Neal Schaffer,
Director of Asia Pacific Sales, will head the operations.
Japan is known for cutting edge consumer electronics and continues to be at the forefront of early pervasive Internet concepts, such as the imode phones. A report by Jupiter Media Metrix predicts that Japan's wireless Internet market will surge by about 1,400 percent by 2005 to JPY594 billion (USD5.11 billion). The i-mode service now has more than 15 million users about one and a half years after its launch in February 1999, outstripping the traditional Internet access using PC’s. "We have seen increasing interest in our strategy globally," commented Jaison Dolvane, Espial president and CEO. "This expansion responds to market demand for our vision and products. We will build on the relationships that we already have in Japan to accelerate adoption of the Pervasive Internet ecosystem.” Earlier last year, Espial laid out its vision for the Pervasive Internet ecosystem where billions of users will be able to access highly personalized information from all manner of smart devices. "I am extremely pleased to have Neal join the Espial executive team," commented Derek South, VP of Sales for Espial. "As Espial positions itself for growth in the Asian market, it was key that the company find an experienced and successful sales executive to join our management team. Neal's leadership and experience is an excellent match to the needs of Espial. His integrity and capability are great assets in his new role as our Director of Asia Pacific Sales." "The Japanese market holds huge potential for smart device technology." Schaffer commented, "Just as I-Mode revolutionized the mobile phone, other leaps in service-enabled smart device technology will continue to come out of and find early adoption in Japan and Asia. Our efforts will concentrate on key device manufacturers and service providers, including ISPs, telephone companies and cable operators. These partnerships we establish will enable us to facilitate the growth and development of the critical infrastructure, application services, and service-ready smart devices that will make the Pervasive Internet a reality not only in Japan, but also in Korea, China, India, and the rest of Asia. Furthermore, we will place emphasis on localization in Asia, working with local partners and providing local support to our customers." Neal Schaffer brings a wealth of experience to Espial, having worked in the computer industry for over 10 years. He comes to Espial from WindRiver Systems where he was Manager, Japan Business Development. The Espial office in Japan is located at:
Neal can be reached via email at nschaffer@espial.com and directly by phone and fax at +81-6-6997-3666 and +81-6-6997-3665. |
