In addition, Hewlett-Packard, one of Microsoft's closest partners, just moved to acquire Palm, a maker of mobile device software.
Mformation, a maker of mobile-device management software, sued RIM in 2008, accusing it of infringement of two patents.
So if Apple is looking to get into carmaking, why not Xiaomi, a Chinese maker of mobile devices, or Tencent, a social-media and gaming giant?Or indeed Alibaba.
Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world's leading maker of mobile devices.
Apple's iPhone 5 was the best-selling smartphone in the world during the fourth quarter of 2012, outselling competing models from Samsung, the biggest maker of mobile devices in the world, according to Strategy Analytics.
This matters, because the web giant pocketed thousands of patents when in 2011 it gobbled up Motorola Mobility, a maker of mobile phones and other devices.
Sony is pitching its new technology as a way for makers of mobile devices to streamline the manufacturing process and produce hardware that's more durable and flexible in design.
SIEMENS A.G., Munich, a maker of mobile phones, said it would buy a 5percentt stake in Symbian Ltd., London, a maker of software for wireless devices, for $20.2 million.
Much of the innovation in IT is now being driven, at one end of the scale, by makers of mobile devices with consumers in mind.
Mr. Halfhill said Apple appeared to be building its own version of the ARM chip favored by makers of mobile devices.
