Virtio is shipping virtual platform technology for Freescale's newest mobile multimedia processor. The VPMX31 Virtual Platform aims to enable parallel software and hardware development efforts for devices based on i.MX31/i.MX31L chips, including mobile phones and handheld wireless entertainment devices.

The i.MX31L and i.MX31 are based on ARM 1136JF-S cores, the same used in the MXC “mobile phone on a chip” that began sampling in late May. Virtio is also readying virtual digital basebands for the MXC and i.300, with availability expected in Q3, 2005.

Virtio says its Virtual Platform technology provides a complete behavioral model of processor cores, memory, and peripherals, replicating the full functionality of development boards and SoC designs. It claims the product provides visibility and control of software/hardware interactions that are more difficult to observe on the physical hardware platform.

Virtio CEO Shay Ben-Chorin said, “Working with Freescale gives Virtio an inside look at products under development, ensuring the highest accuracy in our models.”

Freescale's director of wireless strategy, Berardino Baratta, said, “The development cycle for a handset is 12 to 24 months. With Virtual Platforms from Virtio allowing parallel software development, you can potentially reduce that development cycle by six to nine months.”

Availability

The VPMX31 Virtual Platform is available now, and Virtio says it will distribute evaluation versions at the Freescale Technology Forum, June 20-23 in Orlando, Florida.

Virtio also offers Virtual Platforms for TI's OMAP 2420 mobile phone SoC development platform, the MIPS Malta access point chipset, and Freescale's i.MX1/i.MXL mobile processor, as well as Intel XScale and LSI Logic chips.

 
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