Microsoft and Intel standardise wireless

Microsoft and Intel have announced that they have formed an initiative to develop reference designs for PDAs and smart phones.

The reference designs, based on the Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC and Smartphone 2002 software platforms and the Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture, will promote the rapid development of next-generation wireless applications and services for consumer and enterprise market segments. In addition, this collaboration will enable wireless device and software companies to expedite the market availability of their respective mobile solutions.

"This collaboration with Intel will provide large and small manufacturers with a foundation for quickly bringing powerful, Windows powered mobile devices to market," said Ben Waldman, vice president for the Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft. "Ultimately, we are striving to bring down the barriers to entry for device manufacturers and paving the way for a market explosion of innovative, smart devices at low cost, which will benefit customers, carriers and the industry at large."

Today there is no standard design platform in the wireless industry to speed the development and deployment of wireless devices and applications. Each device or application is created in its own environment.

The Intel and Microsoft reference designs will allow developers to build from a standardised platform, ensuring that high-quality products are designed and deployed in a timely manner. The development of the reference designs are under way, and the designs will be introduced to the industry later in 2002.