Microsoft introduces a new version of Windows Embedded for enterprise mobility: the Windows Embedded Handheld platform.
Microsoft has announced a new version of Windows Embedded: the Windows
Embedded Handheld platform.
Announced at a joint event with Motorola on Wall Street at the
New York Stock Exchange June 17, "Windows Embedded Handheld is a new
software platform designed to meet key line-of-business (LOB) scenarios
and boost productivity of the mobile enterprise work force by enabling users to
capture, access and act on business-critical information where and when they
need it," Microsoft said in a news release.
In an interview with eWEEK, David Wurster, senior product manager
for Windows Embedded, said, "The first release under the brand is
scheduled to come this calendar year and build on the Windows Mobile 6.5
platform with trusted management and security features, as well as enhanced
protection for existing enterprise investments in LOB applications on
devices."
Wurster said a future version of the technology will be
available in the second half of 2011 and will be known as Windows Embedded
Handheld 7. That version will be based on Windows Embedded Compact 7 and will
feature a different set of developer tools and experiences.
At the Wall Street event, Motorola launched a its ES400 Enterprise
Digital Assistant, or EDA, which supports Windows Embedded technology.
"Historically, Microsoft has offered two software
platforms to help ... OEMs deliver the next generation of enterprise
handheld devices: Windows Embedded CE (the Windows Embedded Compact 7 community
technology preview was announced June 1 and is available for download) and
Windows Mobile," Microsoft said.
Of the Windows Embedded Handheld software, Microsoft CEO
Steve Ballmer, in a statement, said, "These releases will provide proven
management and security functionality, while giving customers confidence that
investments in handheld enterprise devices and line-of-business applications
will be protected over time by an extended support life cycle."
In a video appearance at the joint event in New
York, "Ballmer announced that Windows Embedded
will continue to support developer tools used in building applications and
experiences on today's devices, including Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and
Windows Forms. This will help provide confidence that the existing investments
will be protected over time as Microsoft releases new software platforms, as
the operating system support life cycle will be extended to more closely align
with the typical life cycle of devices in the enterprise," Microsoft said.
Market research company VDC, which focuses on the embedded
space, had this to say about Microsoft Embedded Handheld:
"Regarding the future road map, an updated Windows
Embedded Handheld platform based on Windows 7 technologies will be released in
the second half of calendar year 2011. This expanded platform will build on
Windows Mobile 6.5's proven manageability and security features by
incorporating additional technologies from Windows Embedded Compact 7,
including updated kernel and memory models, browser, and input methods, such as
multitouch. Additionally, the platform will feature the Silverlight for Windows
Embedded user interface framework to help OEMs, developers and designers
implement immersive user interfaces on enterprise handheld devices. Microsoft
will also include a migration path for existing applications to a new
application platform based on Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft XNA with
Visual Studio 2010."
Darryl K. Taft covers the development tools and developer-related issues beat from his office in Baltimore. He has more than 10 years of experience in the business and is always looking for the next scoop. Taft is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was named 'one of the most active middleware reporters in the world' by The Middleware Co. He also has his own card in the 'Who's Who in Enterprise Java' deck.
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