ARM launched its
Android Solution
Centre today, created as a resource for designers and
developers of ARM technology-based products running on Android, the
open-source platform from the Open handset Alliance. The community
has the support of more than 35 ARM partners.
There has been increasing interest in developing for the Android
platform. The Motorola Droid is the latest entrance into the
smartphone-on-Android market and an explosion of Android phones and
applications is expected.
However, developers find there isn't the deep support
infrastructure for Android that is customary with traditional
software platforms and this is what ARM's Android Solution Centre
is designed to provide.
Android was written for the ARM architecture and Android 2.0 was
launched on high-performance Cortex-A processor designs and has
been tested extensively on major handset solutions.
"As we have seen through the recent launches of handsets such as
Motorola's Droid and Acer's Liquid, the Android platform represents
a fundamental change in the open source ecosystem," said Kevin
Smith, VP Segment Marketing, ARM.
"ARM is the leading processor architecture for Internet
everywhere applications from mobile to the connected home and with
that leadership, ARM is in a position to foster an innovative
ecosystem to ensure that device manufacturers have the best
development solutions at their disposal. The Solution Centre for
Android serves as a one-stop guide to provide developers with the
tools and information they need to create innovative devices with
applications that satisfy consumers' needs."
"Consumer adoption of smartbooks, smartphones and other 'always
on' connected devices is forecast to increase significantly in the
next few years," said Jeff, Orr, senior analyst at ABI Research.
"Manufacturers of these devices need a support structure that
enables them to develop cutting-edge devices quickly and
affordably."
In addition to the support of major OEMs, Silicon Partners and
solution providers, the Solution Centre for Android comprises more
than 35 members of the ARM Connected Community including: Acrodea,
America Megatrends, Archos, Atelier, Beijing Farsight, CoWare,
Datalight, Discretix Technologies, Embedded Artists AB, Enea,
Haansoft, Incube Solutions, Ingenient Technologies, Intrinsyc
Software, iWave Systems, Lauterbach, LSF Design, Mapusoft, Mentor
Graphics, Mistrial Solution, Montavista, Movial, NECEL, Open Kernel
Labs, Pathpartnertech, QSound, Symsource, SQLStar, Tata Elxsi,
Texas Instruments, Thundersoft, Vayavya Labs, Viosoft,
VirtualLogix, VisualOn, Wipro and Zii Labs.