I visited the SK Telecom1 ’s official blog (www.sktstory.com) and found this interesting video clip.
The following video clip shows some of the future services that SK Telecom is envisioning about. I think the service that uses the virtual reality on the screen is very interesting.

You can experience these demo services in reality at SKT’s T-um Airpot, Incheon Airport, Korea. If you have any chance to be at Incheon Airport, consider going there and try these services.

While Google is rapidly advancing with its development of the Android , SK Telecom has joined seven other companies that have recently joined the LiMo Foundation with Linux Mobile.  Other notables among the new members are Mozilla and Verizon Wireless who is one of the most notable absentees on Google’s Open Handset Alliance.

Google has been making headlines by finally defining their team of judges for Android, and has generally been more publicized. US carriers AT&T and Verizon Wireless had not joined, and while AT&T seems to be showing preference for Android, Verizon has now joined LiMo.

On the Korean front SK Telecom has joined with their competitor KTF in the LiMo Foundation, as well as Korean handset producers LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. LG and Samsung are also part of Android, therefore giving them and interesting position in the evolution of the industry. Another interesting position is that of LG Telecom who have recently expressed interest in Android but have yet to decide, and with their affiliate LG Electronics being on both sides it will be an interesting choice.

SK Telecom has invested the modest sum of 2 Million USD in an American based online video animation company Fix8. The company has a technology H.E.A.R.T. (Human Expression Analysis and Rendering Technology), that allows the digitalization of human movement and is capable of animating it. This is for use on webcams and other devices, and they are developing the technology for application in SK’s 3D avatars.

This seems to be a very inexpensive investment for SK and the applications are multiple: mobiles, Cyworld, etc. This maybe an interesting investment for some SK users who may find the application fun, but is even more appealing for the focus of this article as an example of the traditional roles being reversed. SK being the largest player in Korean telecom investing in a relative startup in the US, the move also plays well to SK using their knowledge of their market to develop technologies that would be attractive for their customers.