Hot on the heels of Google’s Android initiative, Yahoo is announcing its own developer platform. The Yahoo! Mobile Developer Platform will provide tools for developers to code and launch mobile widgets for a wide range of cell phones. Here are the details from Yahoo:

• The platform is an open environment for developers to create mobile Widgets for instant access by millions of consumers.
• Widgets created on the Mobile Widget Platform will be available to consumers from various starting points, including Yahoo! Go 3.0 and Yahoo!’s new mobile homepage.
• The platform will enable developers to write code once and publish their content across Yahoo!’s mobile network, allowing accelerated delivery of a feature-rich mobile experience.
• The platform will enable consumers more control over their experience, as well, by providing the functionality to add and delete Widgets at any time.
• Full-featured SDK for developers to be introduced over the coming weeks.
• Third-party Widget launch partners include, eBay, MySpace, and MTV.

In addition to the new mobile widget platform, Yahoo is today launching Yahoo Go 3.0 beta. Along with some interface upgrades, Yahoo Go 3.0 provides an “open” environment offering Yahoo!’s full selection of Mobile Widgets developed by third parties.

The announcement will be officially made at around 11 a.m. PT at CES.

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Kai Oistamo, who over sees Nokia’s mobile division said the biggest challenge in emerging markets was lack of interest. "We are looking as a company as to how to facilitate and participate in creating content that is actually relevant for the consumers in emerging markets," Oistamo said in a speech at a telecoms forum at Helsinki University of Technology.

Oistamo said that the target market will determine worldwide what the next major trend will be in mobile phones. He said locations based services and social networks would be part of the picture.

Nokia is trying to shift from being a hardware company and is looking to become an online services company. Earlier this year Nokia purchased social networking and photo sharing site Twango. The company also launched Internet services portal Ovi.

"The world of mobile communications is changing at an ever increasing pace," said Tero Ojanper, CTO, Nokia, in his keynote address. "To continue to stay ahead in this environment and to develop innovative new products and services that excite consumers, companies need to embrace openness on many levels."

Worldwide, end-user generated revenues from social networking, dating and personal content delivery services will increase from $572 million in 2007 to over $5.7 billion in 2012, with social networking making up 50 percent of the total by the end of 2012.

According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "Even though social networking sites are in their infancy, the exponential growth experienced by a number of mobile service providers – in some cases achieved primarily through viral marketing – would seem to affirm that there is huge potential in this area. The key challenge now is for those providers to monetize that interest."

Holden went on to say that, in the medium term, the largest levels of growth could occur in developing markets with limited fixed broadband access. "In these markets, the mobile phone is becoming the predominant means by which people access the Internet. Hence, the overwhelming majority of online social networking will be conducted via the handset rather than the PC."

The report also said that the number of active users of mobile social networking sites is expected to increase from 14 million in 2007 to almost 600 million in 2012. Mobile dating and chatroom services currently account for 57 percent of user-generated revenues, but this portion will fall to 21 percent by 2012 as other user-generated services become popular.