Intel CEO Craig Barrett, has told the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless 2001 conference that future wireless growth will be driven by scalable applications and services that work together across multiple devices.
“The challenge in enabling the wireless Internet is to be able to deliver services to the customer across multiple devices,” said Barrett. “The only feasible way to provide the same content in a variety of form factors is by relying on standard platforms and architectures.”
Wireless applications are currently based on a model that requires applications to be written specifically for each particular device, requiring them to be qualified for specific networks. This makes it difficult for handheld communications devices to share information with each other, slowing the development of new applications and uses.
“As wireless communications comes to the Internet, we believe it's moving in Intel's direction," said Barrett.
“Intel is already inside about two-thirds of all cell phones. Our goal moving forward is to provide the standard building blocks that will make it easier to develop new applications and help ensure that all manner of wireless communications and computing devices can work together seamlessly. We believe this is crucial to driving growth in the industry."
Intel has selected IBM as the premier provider of embedded software for its Intel Personal Internet Client Architecture (Intel PCA) for wireless devices and other Internet appliances. The two companies will work together to deliver standards-based hardware and software solutions for next-generation, Internet-ready devices, targeting device manufacturers, application developers and carriers.