A new report from eTForecasts examines the trend of computer platforms finding their way onto electronic devices in telecommunications, consumer electronics, auto electronics, and other industries. Report author, Dr. Egil Juliussen, cites cost decline, capability growth, and flexibility as helping platform-based designs gain market share.

What company and technology will dominate? “Microsoft certainly understands this trend and is expanding its Windows-based platforms to nearly every products segment”, says Dr. Egil Juliussen, the author of the report. “The cell phone manufacturers also understand,” according to Juliussen, “because they are developing their own platforms to counteract Microsoft. The TV and video industry also understand and are defining platforms and standards that are operating system agnostics. Many are using Linux and middleware standards to level the playing field,” Juliussen adds.

Information Appliance Platforms
Segment	Key Platforms
PDAs	Palm OS 4 & OS 5 Microsoft Pocket PC Linux & Qtopia
PDA-Phones (Data-Centric)	Microsoft Pocket PC Phone Edition Palm OS 4 & OS 5 Symbian & Nokia Series 60 Symbian & other middleware Linux & Qtopia
Smart Phones (Voice-Centric)	Symbian & Nokia Series 60 Symbian & other middleware Windows Powered Smartphone Palm OS 5 Linux & Qtopia, Java or BREW
Feature Phones	Embedded OS & middleware Java virtual machine: J2ME Microsoft Pocket IE & Outlook Qualcomm BREW
Set-Top Boxes	Microsoft TV TV Linux Alliance ELC Platform Specs CableLabs middleware DVB/MHP middleware
Entertainment Media Servers	Windows XP Media Center Sony Cocoon Linux & middleware CableLabs middleware DVB/MHP middleware

The eTForecasts report explores the technologies, computer platforms, product segments and markets for information appliances including detailed market estimates for six regions of the world from 1998 to 2007. eTForecasts publishes market research reports for the PC, PDA, information appliances, and Internet industries.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.