Philips, Samsung Launch Application Programming Interface
Online staff -- Electronic News, 1/6/2004
Days before the Consumer Electronics Show, Royal Philips Electronics and Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the Universal Home Application Programming Interface (UH-API) initiative, aiming to provide a new application programming interface standard for the creation of middleware and application software on top of semiconductor-based consumer systems.
Together, the semiconductors units of Philips and Samsung will establish, maintain and promote the UH-API initiative, the companies said, adding that they plan to extend an invitation to other companies for the specification.
Both companies will realign their internal resources to develop UH-API-compliant semiconductor chipsets and solutions. Philips' Nexperia Home semiconductor system solutions will be UH-API-compliant and Samsung will initially introduce the new standard to its HD TV chipsets and expand to other applications, it was said.
Drafts of UH-API are expected to be available this quarter.
"The creation of the Universal Home API standard is an essential step to continue innovation in today's world of increasingly complex electronic products and systems, and our announcement with Samsung Electronics is an important catalyst for change in the industry," said Leon Husson, executive VP of Philips consumer businesses, in a statement. "This is a fundamental change from developing standalone consumer electronics products that fit proprietary schemes to a universal choice of hardware systems that can support the multiple features of the diverse consumer electronic brands."
The UH-API consists of a set of software interfaces for configuring and controlling the audio and video-related components of a semiconductor platform targeting the consumer market, and it is complementary with the leading operating systems across the industry, Samsung said.
The companies expect to target analog and digital televisions, set top boxes, DVD players and recorders, personal video recorders, home servers and other consumer audio-video devices, Philips added.
reed-electronics.com
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