Sendo
A defunct British mobile-phone manufacturer known for low-cost handsets and an unsuccessful early smartphone partnership with Microsoft.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Sendo was a British mobile-phone manufacturer and supplier established in 1998 and based in Birmingham. The company emerged during the rapid expansion of the European mobile market, concentrating on relatively inexpensive handsets for operators and consumers in pay-as-you-go segments. It also pursued the higher-value smartphone market, particularly through products based on Symbian technology. The business was created by mobile-phone professionals with backgrounds at Philips and Motorola. Its operating model combined handset design and manufacturing with relationships involving network operators, technology companies, and distribution partners. Sendo’s low-cost positioning gave it relevance in a market where prepaid mobile service was expanding, but the company also sought to move beyond basic phones and participate in the emerging smartphone platform race. A defining episode began in February 2001, when Microsoft acquired a 10 percent interest in Sendo for approximately $12 million and obtained a board seat. Microsoft intended Sendo to be its route-to-market partner for the Stinger smartphone software platform, which later became associated with Smartphone 2002. Sendo produced an early prototype, the Z100, and supplied a software development kit. However, the expected Microsoft software was not delivered on the timetable required by Sendo. The lack of a commercially viable product weakened Sendo’s ability to raise additional funds through handset sales or external financing. Sendo subsequently abandoned the Microsoft relationship and chose to develop smartphones around Symbian instead. The breakdown became the subject of litigation. Sendo alleged that Microsoft had misappropriated proprietary technology and trade secrets and had made them available to HTC, which then manufactured a handset derived from the Z100 concept for Orange. Microsoft denied the allegations and brought its own contractual counterclaim. The disputes were settled out of court, with Microsoft relinquishing its investment in Sendo and the settlement including a monetary component. The exact terms were not publicly disclosed in the cited material. Despite the strategic difficulties, Sendo continued operating and reported sales of five million devices in 2004. It also explored newer handset technologies, including graphics processing solutions from Nvidia’s GoForce family, and objected to aspects of Ericsson’s patent and licensing management before the European Commission in 2005. These efforts did not prevent the company from entering administration in June 2005. Motorola subsequently acquired Sendo’s technology, including its development personnel and intellectual-property portfolio. At the time of the acquisition, the portfolio was described as containing 50 granted patents and 40 further applications awaiting approval. Sendo is therefore best understood as a defunct independent British handset maker whose history illustrates the competitive pressures of the early smartphone transition. Its business combined mass-market prepaid phones with an attempt to secure a position in smartphone platforms, but dependence on external software partners, litigation, financing constraints, and intensifying competition ultimately prevented it from remaining an independent manufacturer.
History
Sendo was founded in 1998 in Birmingham by mobile-phone specialists who had previously worked at Philips and Motorola. It entered a market in which European operators were expanding prepaid service and consumers were increasingly buying phones separately from network subscriptions. Sendo consequently emphasized affordable handsets, especially products suitable for pay-as-you-go customers, while retaining ambitions in the more technically demanding smartphone category. The company’s most consequential strategic relationship was with Microsoft. In February 2001, Microsoft purchased a 10 percent stake in Sendo for approximately $12 million and obtained representation on the company’s board. The arrangement was intended to make Sendo Microsoft’s principal route-to-market partner for the Stinger smartphone platform, the software initiative that later evolved into Smartphone 2002. Sendo received Microsoft software-development support, produced the Z100 prototype, and made a software development kit available to developers. The partnership deteriorated when Sendo did not receive enough of the expected Stinger software within the required timeframe. Without a finished smartphone platform and a product ready for commercial sale, the company faced difficulty generating sales and attracting further investment. Sendo ended the Microsoft relationship and shifted toward Symbian, another major smartphone platform of the period. The dispute did not end with the change in strategy. Sendo alleged in litigation that Microsoft had taken or disclosed proprietary technology and trade secrets associated with the Z100 and had enabled HTC to use them. HTC manufactured a related handset for Orange, which was marketed as the Orange SPV 100 and also known as the HTC Canary; it became an early Windows Mobile smartphone. Microsoft rejected Sendo’s allegations and countersued, claiming that Sendo had breached its contractual obligations. The parties eventually resolved their disputes outside court. The settlement included a monetary component, and Microsoft gave up its stake in Sendo; the cited material does not provide the settlement amount. Sendo continued selling handsets after the dispute and reported sales of five million devices in 2004. It investigated the use of Nvidia’s GoForce graphics chips, reflecting the industry’s movement toward richer multimedia capabilities in mobile devices. The company also became involved in a regulatory and intellectual-property dispute with Ericsson, submitting an objection to the European Commission in March 2005 concerning Ericsson’s patent and licensing management after being sued by Ericsson. Sendo entered administration in June 2005. Motorola acquired the company’s technology and took on its developers and patents. The acquired intellectual-property portfolio was reported to include 50 valid patents and 40 applications awaiting approval. Sendo’s independent corporate operations ended at that point. Its history reflects the vulnerability of smaller handset manufacturers during the transition from basic mobile phones to software-driven smartphones: affordable hardware could generate substantial unit sales, but platform dependence, development delays, legal exposure, and financing requirements created significant risks.
- 2005
Sendo enters administration
[1]Sendo enters administration in June, ending its operation as an independent handset manufacturer.
- 2005
Motorola acquires Sendo technology
[1]Motorola acquires Sendo's technology, developers, and intellectual property, including granted patents and pending applications.
- 2004
Microsoft and Sendo settle their dispute
[1]The companies resolve their litigation outside court; Microsoft relinquishes its Sendo shares and the settlement includes an undisclosed monetary component.
- 2004
Sendo sells five million devices
[1]The company records sales of five million mobile devices during the year.
- 2002
Sendo leaves the Microsoft platform relationship
[1]Insufficient delivery of the expected software leaves Sendo without a commercial product, leading it to abandon the Microsoft arrangement and pursue Symbian.
- 2002
Sendo files suit against Microsoft
[1]Sendo alleges that Microsoft misused proprietary technology and trade secrets connected with the Z100. Microsoft responds with a contractual counterclaim.
- 2001
Microsoft acquires a minority stake
[1]Microsoft buys a 10 percent interest in Sendo for approximately $12 million and receives a board seat as part of a smartphone-platform partnership.
- 2001
Sendo develops the Z100 prototype
[1]Sendo produces an early prototype for Microsoft's Stinger smartphone initiative and distributes a software development kit.
- 1998
Sendo is founded in Birmingham
[1]Sendo is established by mobile-phone professionals with backgrounds at Philips and Motorola.
Products and positioning
British mobile-phone manufacturer focused on affordable handsets for prepaid and pay-as-you-go customers, with a secondary emphasis on early smartphones.
Mobile phones
Sendo low-cost handsets
Sendo's core business consisted of relatively inexpensive mobile phones aimed primarily at prepaid and pay-as-you-go users. These products placed the company in the mass-market segment of the British and wider European handset industry, where affordability and operator distribution were central purchase considerations. The available reference material does not identify a complete model list or provide specifications for the individual handsets.
Smartphone prototype
Sendo Z100
The Z100 was an early Sendo smartphone prototype developed in connection with Microsoft's Stinger platform. Sendo also shipped a software development kit associated with the project. The device became central to the later dispute between Sendo and Microsoft because Sendo alleged that intellectual property and trade secrets connected with the prototype were used in products involving HTC and Orange.
Smartphones
Symbian-based smartphones
After ending its Microsoft relationship, Sendo chose to pursue Symbian for its smartphone strategy. This represented an attempt to retain a position in the developing smartphone market while reducing dependence on Microsoft's Stinger software. The cited material does not identify the full range of resulting Symbian models.
Controversies
2002
Sendo alleges misuse of smartphone intellectual property
Sendo sued Microsoft, alleging that proprietary technology and trade secrets associated with the Z100 had been misappropriated and made available to HTC. Microsoft denied the allegations and filed a counterclaim alleging breach of contract. The dispute was later settled out of court.
Brand decisions
2005
Motorola acquires Sendo's technologyM&ABackground
Sendo entered administration after operating in the highly competitive handset market and pursuing several unresolved technology and licensing issues.
Action taken
Motorola acquired Sendo's technology, developers, and patent portfolio.
Aftermath
Sendo ceased to operate as an independent manufacturer. The acquired portfolio was described as including 50 valid patents and 40 pending applications.
2004
Sendo and Microsoft settle litigationOtherBackground
Sendo and Microsoft had brought competing legal claims concerning technology, trade secrets, and contractual obligations related to the Stinger partnership.
Action taken
The parties reached an out-of-court settlement, including a monetary component, and Microsoft gave up its stake in Sendo.
Aftermath
The settlement ended the cited dispute, but its detailed financial terms were not disclosed.
2002
Sendo switches from Microsoft's Stinger platform to SymbianStrategyBackground
Microsoft did not deliver enough of the expected Stinger software for Sendo to bring a viable product to market, leaving the company under commercial and financing pressure.
Action taken
Sendo ended the Microsoft platform relationship and pursued Symbian for its smartphone development.
Aftermath
The breakdown led to litigation over the Z100's technology and contributed to the eventual end of the Microsoft investment relationship.
Recent events
Reported
Sendo secures $61 million in Series C financing[2]
Vietnamese e-commerce marketplace Sendo announced that it secured $61 million in Series C financing, its largest financing round to date. The company said the funds would support expansion of its platform offering and investment in AI and machine learning.
Sources2 sources
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