More on BREW:
Qualcomm Lays Foundation For 3G Wireless Net Apps, Services
by Steven Schwankert
Managing Editor, asia.internet.com
[February 7] Qualcomm has developed an open applications platform for wireless
devices based on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology. The provider of
digital wireless communications and advanced electronic messaging solutions for the
Internet expects its ultra-thin BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) platform
to bring a host of benefits to carriers, device manufacturers and developers once it
releases its software development kit in May this year.
Provided and supported by Qualcomm Internet Services (QIS), a newly formed division
focusing on CDMA applications and services development, the BREW platform will
leverage the capabilities available in Qualcomm CDMA Technologies' integrated circuits,
system software and Wireless Internet Launchpad feature software to enable
development of feature-rich applications and content while reducing memory overhead
and maximizing system performance.
BREW is also expected to enable end users to download applications over the air
through their carrier's network, and configure their wireless devices to suit their
requirements.
Said Paul E. Jacobs, executive vice-president of Qualcomm, "Until the BREW platform,
no widespread, uniform and powerful platform existed for wireless devices. The BREW
platform allows third-party software developers to create new applications for the growing
wireless market.
"Qualcomm's chipset, handset and software development expertise, and our Qualcomm
Ventures strategic investment organization uniquely position the company to create a
developer community to power the development of applications and services that will
make the wireless Internet truly useful to consumers worldwide."
The company's key QIS executives were recently in Asia to promote awareness and
drum up support for its BREW platform. Traveling to Seoul, Japan, Hong Kong and
Singapore, they revealed that Qualcomm has signed MoUs with wireless carriers,
manufacturers and developers, which include Korea Telecom Freetel (KTF), Samsung,
Kyocera Wireless Corp., Mitsui & Co., and Bandai Networks, among others. It is also
working on BREW initiatives with Japan's KDDI.
Response has been so positive that according to Peggy Johnson, senior vice-president
of Qualcomm and general manager of QIS, at least two North Asian carriers and one U.S.
carrier will adopt the BREW platform by the end of 2001.
"For data applications, the wireless industry is currently in the situation the PC industry
faced in the early 1980s. Device manufacturers are developing applications for their own
hardware, or must pay a few select developers to work with them on the arduous task of
creating and integrating just a few applications on just a few handset models," she said.
"In the PC industry, this led to fragmentation of resources and platform dead ends. The
BREW platform, which works on today's cdmaOne networks, encourages applications
development by providing a standard platform for CDMA, the wireless technology of
choice for the next generation."
While recognizing that the majority of carriers, manufacturers and developers in Asia are
supporting GSM-based networks and technology, QIS executives were quick to point out
that future generation networks will be based on CDMA technology, be it CDMA 2000 or
Wideband CDMA.
According to Steve Sprigg, Qualcomm's vice-president of engineering, because BREW
operates in an object-oriented environment, objects easily lend themselves to integration
regardless of air links and versions of wireless technology used.
Of the many benefits carriers, device manufacturers and developers are expected to reap
with BREW, the company's QIS executives had this to say:
Carriers: BREW will enable them to differentiate products and services, and increase air
time usage while maintaining optimal bandwidth management, thus increasing their
return on investment as they expand their wireless data services. They can also roll out
services quickly because BREW enables the decoupling of applications development
from hardware development cycles. BREW-enabled applications and services are
expected to start becoming available in some regions by Q3 this year.
Manufacturers: BREW will be licensed free to device manufacturers. It will reduce
software development costs, shorten time to market and increase manufacturers' ability
to differentiate their products. Manufacturers will now be able to access third-party
developers more easily, gaining efficiency as they seek to bring new applications to their
hardware. They will be able to offer applications across their product mix and integrate
existing BREW applications onto new models simply and quickly.
Developers: BREW allows developers to write applications without having to learn to
work with complex chip system software. It provides access to the Wireless Internet
Launchpad suite of system software extensions, which includes multimedia, connectivity,
positioning, user interface and storage functionality. The BREW environment is neutral
about the programming language in which an application is written; native applications
will be written in the familiar C/C++, but browsers, Java applications or applications
written in other languages will be supported as well. |
