Motorola, Microsoft going mobile?

A deal with Motorola, which recently unloaded its 19 percent stake in Symbian, a Microsoft competitor in mobile phone software, would represent a significant step for the world's largest software maker, which is trying to penetrate the market for mobile phone operating systems.

Orange initially flagged the possibility of a deal in a June statement. The Financial Times, without citing sources, reported on Thursday that a Microsoft-powered phone by Motorola would be launched this month.

Motorola, the world's second-largest handset maker, was not immediately available for comment, and a Microsoft representative did not confirm any deal with Motorola.

A France Telecom representative in the United States said that Orange was working toward a deal that included Microsoft-powered software on an Orange mobile phone.

Orange, in a statement, said that it would strike "deals with Microsoft to develop new Windows Mobile-based Smartphones," as well as a cell phone for business customers featuring an OS from Palm, a Microsoft rival.

Orange said it was trying to offer its customers a choice of operating systems for its service.

Motorola, which had previously used its own software, or Symbian's, earlier this year launched its first cell phone that includes both the Linux OS and Java software technology, which are rivals to Microsoft products.

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