Computing giant IBM on Friday unveiled new software and services that redefine the cell phone as a business tool akin to the PC.

In doing so the Armonk, New York, based firm joins Google, Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, RIM, and the Linux crowd in carving out and focusing on segments of the mobile web, but unlike its rivals, IBM is not limited to a single operating system.

IBM, which does not market a commercial mobile operating system, said its software will work with existing cell phone operating systems and make its business features available on Blackberry, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Symbian phones.

Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, and RIM all support an array of organic and third-party mobile entertainment, personal productivity, information, and business applications designed for the mobile web. But with its new open standards based software, IBM is focusing on extending traditional business communications to the mobile web.

IBM said it is providing developers with new tools to make existing applications run on mobile devices, and is offering related consulting and implementation services to businesses.

“The key thing for IBM is interoperability and operating system independence because Windows Mobile can achieve most of the functionality IBM is claiming and so too can Blackberry,” said Sameer Mithal, senior principal at IBB Consulting.

Designing existing business applications for the bandwidth and display limitations of the mobile web is no slam dunk, Mr. Mithal said, so it may take some time for IBM to fully tune its products and services to the realities of mobile computing.

While still in its developmental stages the mobile web, which took a long time to gain market traction, has attracted a lot of attention because of its growing popularity and perceived potential.

“The mobile Web presents one of the largest emerging market opportunities we've seen in a decade as billions of people look to access a wide range of services both for business and personal use,” Drew Clark, director of strategy, IBM Venture Capital Group, said in a statement.

The U.S. leads the world with a 15.6 mobile web penetration and 40 million active mobile web users according to Nielsen Mobile. The U.K. is second with 12.9 percent penetration, and Italy is third with 11.9 percent.

The number of U.S. subscribers who paid for mobile web access increased 28 percent between the first quarter of 2007 and the comparable period of 2008, according to Nielsen Mobile.

“With the current state of the economy and gas prices, I think we will see business use of the mobile web grow pretty quickly,” Mr. Mithal said.