IA Style have been responsible for some of the best MS Smartphone software on the planet, from IA Caller ID, IA Album, IA File Manager and a whole lot more. They were bought out by MS Smartphone handset manufacturers HTC recently, so they’ll still be churning out the essential software!
Here’s their press release…
January 15, 2004 – IA Style, a creator of applications for mobile and wireless devices, has been acquired by High Tech Computer Corporation (HTC; TAIEX: 2498), one of the world’s most respected Windows CE device manufacturers.
As part of the merger, the IA Style team will continue to develop software for bundling with HTC products. IA Style will stop selling through retail channels on January 30, 2004. IA Style will continue to provide support on the user forums and responding to the email questions, until the end of April of 2004.
The IA Style website, at www.iastyle.com, will continue to provide services for changing registration codes and other information until the end of August, 2004.
Mr. Lotus Chen, General Manager of IA Style, said the merging of IA Style and HTC will “create the best platform for further enhancement of application software development and will significantly strengthen the international competitiveness of Taiwan handset vendors.”
Mr. H. T. Cho, CEO of HTC, said IA Style is currently a multimedia software partner vendor of HTC, and in the course of collaboration both parties found they share a great deal in common in terms of ideas, cooperation, culture and beliefs in product development. “With shared ideas, as well as the emerging long-term value in the software technology provided by IA Style, the merger of the two companies would increase the competitiveness of HTC in such product areas as PDA, PDA Phone and Smartphone, and enhance HTC’s product application development and integration capacity. With these additional advantages, HTC will be able to offer customers higher added-value services in their products, acquire bigger market share and further reinforce market leadership of the company.”
HTC Corporation, founded on May 15th 1997, specializes in designing and manufacturing world-class mobile computing and communication solutions for OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and ODM (original design manufacturer) customers. HTC partners include Microsoft, Intel, Texas Instruments, QUALCOMM, Sony, and Citizen. HTC is ISO-9001 and ISO-14001 certified.