Apps for Multiple Devices: Open Source Platfom to Design and Run Applications across all Screens

Berlin, 22. September 2010 – With the mobile internet growing exponentially, the call to develop a single universal platform for the development of mobile internet applications is becoming stronger than ever. That is why more than twenty partners from research and industry, representing the mobile web, consumer electronics and the automotive industry, have teamed-up to create the Europe-wide Project “webinos”. Led by the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS, a consortium of major, international companies will develop an open source platform and software components that will allow cross-platform use of services and technologies that can be operated on multiple screens.

The standardized technology which the consortium is developing, will allow software designers from across the industry to create web applications and services that can be used and shared over a broad spectrum of converged and connected devices – regardless of their respective hardware specifications and operating systems. The developing technology will provide exciting opportunities for the multimedia industry.

The three year project will start in September 2010 and is co-funded by the European Union, which has provided a grant of ten million Euros. Among the industry partners who have already committed to the initiative are global players such as Deutsche Telekom, Telcom Italia, BMW Research and Technology, Sony Ericsson and Samsung Electronics. Also a member of the consortium is W3C, the international internet standards body, which will ensure that the reference platform is consistent with current and emerging standards.

Cross Platform Usage
“The vision of the project is to create ‘a universal application platform’. That means, we aim to enable the use of web applications consistently and securely across all internet-enabled screens – including mobile, PC, TV and in-car entertainment units,” commented Dr. Stephan Steglich, consortium lead at the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS.

Within webinos, the consortium aims to identify requirements which are industry based rather than in the interest of any particular organization. By supplying the targeted open source technology, partners anticipate a direct commercial value. “We want to overcome restrictions applied by proprietary and vendor-specific technologies, enabling the rapid design of more personalized, secure, and innovative applications,” stressed Steglich. “Our goal is the development of a secure platform that facilitates the creation of applications for multiple, heterogeneous, devices and operating systems.”

Catalyzing Collaborations within the Telecommunication and Multimedia Industry
The consortium also expects the new technology to encourage collaboration between enterprises, developers, operators, and manufacturers. The new technology will eliminate some of the technical barriers associated with developing mobile internet platforms, allowing companies to develop new business models and re-evaluate their strategic position within the mobile multimedia market.

In addition, this open source regime will be a starting point for an open foundation which provides its members a standardized, interoperable technology to design and operate any web related application on any device or system. Apart from the consortium members, further organizations or companies are welcome to join this foundation.

Further information:
www.webinos.org
www.fokus.fraunhofer.de

Notes to editors:
Webinos (Secure WebOS Application Environment) intends delivering a platform for web applications across mobile, PC, home media (TV) and in-car devices. It is a European Union FP7 funded project, receives ten million Euro co-funding and will run for three years starting in September 2010. Webinos has been initiated by a research consortium with the Fraunhofer Institute FOKUS at the helm.

More than 20 partners are represented within the consortium. Research facilities: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. (DE), University of Oxford (UK), TNO (NL), National Technical University of Athens (GR), Instituto Superiore Mario Boella (I), Politecnico di Torino (I), Universita di Catania (I), Technische Universität München (DE), Interdisciplinary Institute for Broadband Technology (BE); Global Players: Deutsche Telekom AG (DE), W3C (F), Telecom Italia S.p.A. (I), BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH (DE), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communication AB (SE), Samsung Electronics Ltd (UK), Telefonica Investigation y Desarrollo SA (E), DOCOMO Communications Laboratories Europe GmbH (DE); SMEs: AmbieSense Ltd (UK), Volantis Systems Ltd (UK), VisionMobile Ltd. (UK), futuretext (UK), IMPLEO Professional Services Limited (UK).

Fraunhofer FOKUS
Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems
Public Relations
Kaiserin-Augusta-Allee 31
10589 Berlin

Eva Sittig
+49.30.3463 7212
eva.sittig@fokus.fraunhofer.de

This release was published on openPR.