Metrics Attracts Customers to dotMobi’s DeviceAtlas

The company behind the .mobi mobile Internet address for mobile content, is attracting customers to its DeviceAtlas mobile device database.

Initially, when dotMobi built DeviceAtlas, it was interested in targeting the long tail of the mobile Web community and developers, said Paul Nerger, vice president of Advanced Services and Applications at dotMobi. But even though they may have their own in-house databases, larger mobile Websites are showing interest in DeviceAtlas.

The database was built for the purpose of content adaptation, so applications could work on many phones rather than being built for a single or a few devices. However, nearly half who purchase licenses are using it for analytics. For example, a site owner might want to know what percentage of devices has GPS or the 10 most popular devices visiting the site.

This week, dobMobi announced that Microsoft’s MSN Mobile group will use DeviceAtlas to help develop and deliver mobile-aware content to its customers. International call provider Morodo also was announced as customer of DeviceAtlas. The company offers a VoIP service for low-cost international calls from a mobile phone.

The company offers DeviceAtlas for free to mobile Web content developers worldwide, with low-cost versions available for enterprise use. dotMobi’s goal is to break even on its offerings; it’s more interested in encouraging development for the mobile Web. The past two quarters, it has come in ahead of plans, Nerger said.

The company is backed by mobile operators, network and device manufacturers and mobile content providers, including Ericsson, GSM Association, Hutchison 3, Microsoft, Nokia, Orascom Telecom, Samsung Electronics, Syniverse, T-Mobile, Telefonica Moviles, TIM, Visa and Vodafone.

DeviceAtlas contains attribute information for more than 5,500 devices around the world, including devices like the Apple iPhone, Research In Motion’s BlackBerry, Nintendo DS Lite and Amazon Kindle. The database includes anything with a browser, including a Samsung refrigerator.