A new initiative has been founded to develop an open standard for data synchronization. The XML-based standard, SyncML, will support synchronization of data between networked and mobile devices.

SyncML aims to provide 'any to any' connectivity between networked and mobile devices, supplanting proprietary solutions currently in use. To promote adoption of the new standard the initiative will produce:

• An architectural specification
• Two protocol specifications (SyncML representation protocol and SyncML synchronization protocol
• Bindings to common transport protocols
• Interfaces for a common programming language
• An openly available prototype implementation of the protocol

The group expects to deliver the SyncML protocol by mid-2000. Its founder members include Lotus, IBM, Nokia and Motorola. More information is available from the SyncML Initiative website.