On Target: Embedded Systems

Android to Transform Medical Device Market

In an increasingly mobile environment infused with continual technological innovation, OEMs are considering new platforms to develop embedded systems. While there are various platforms to choose from, Android has emerged as the foundation of many new embedded systems. It boasts natural advantages compared to other operating systems – iOS, Blackberry, and Windows to name a few – such as its robust open source user-interface, integrated connectivity, and royalty-free licensing, which can minimize cost and provide OEMs flexibility as they try to fit technology to specific industry needs. Emerging tools in the medical space mark the potential innovation Android can bring... Read more →

Embedded/Real-time Operating System Market - Uneven Growth in 2011 – Slower Growth Expected Over the Forecast Period

In 2011, growth in the market was uneven and the rate of growth below what VDC had forecasted from last year. Suppliers in the market expressed mixed views on the state of the market in 2011 and the challenges they faced during the course of the year. VDC estimates that the market for embedded/real-time operating systems was greater than $1 billion in 2011, an increase of slightly more that 5% from a revised 2010 estimate. Over the forecast period we expect this market segment to grow at a combined annual rate of less than 6% per year through 2014. OEMs... Read more →

Converged Devices Cannibalizing Sales of Stand-alone Consumer Electronics Devices

But also driving the transition to multicore processors The consumer electronics industry continues to foster a wide variety of innovations that bring cutting-edge technologies to the mainstream. Mounting demand for internet connectivity, inter-device communication, and device mobility have been the key factors driving this innovation. From televisions and set-top boxes to digital cameras and video gaming systems, the ability to access and share content via the web has become one of consumers’ primary device requirements. Similarly, growing interest in device mobility has fueled momentum behind handheld devices such as portable gaming systems, e-readers, and portable media players. More than ever,... Read more →

Embedded Project Starts Expected to Increase Year-Over-Year

Every year VDC conducts an extensive worldwide survey of embedded engineers and their development projects to better understand engineering requirements, preferences, and trends. This information is available from VDC in unique cross tabbed reports to offer readers a detailed, in-depth, view of engineers in the development project trenches. Quite frequently we receive requests from suppliers of the embedded community for statistics around company project starts as this metric is often seen as an important indicator of health and growth for the embedded industry. Based on VDC’s 2011 survey embedded engineers expect about a 15% increase in the aggregate in the... Read more →

How would you feel if your new Blu-ray player got a virus?

Probably not very happy. This may not have been an issue when you got your first VHS player, but it is an unavoidable consequence of the perpetual, ubiquitous connectivity of today’s embedded systems. Over 50% of respondents in VDC’s 2010 Software and System Development Survey indicated that they expected a project similar to their current one to include a web component within the next two years - a 20% increase over current project values. Clearly, embedded system engineering no longer implies work on isolated, autonomous systems. Embedded engineering teams now need to be cognizant of potential security threats, in addition... Read more →

ARM A15 to Drive Embedded OSs into the Enterprise

It is now well publicized in the non-tech media that the Intel and ARM IP-based processors are waging a turf war as their once disparate and discrete domains have begun to blur. ARM, once the underdog primarily relegated to developing its technology for mobile phones, has made significant inroads into a number of embedded verticals as power performance has risen to the top of many OEMs requirements as a function of the ubiquitous trend toward mobility. As ARM’s product roadmap has continued to target larger, more sophisticated devices and Intel, drawn by the allure of high unit shipments, has simultaneously... Read more →

No, the OS Market hasn’t Frozen over, but, Yes, Those are all Penguins:

Commercial Mobile OS Suppliers Learning to Co-exist as OEMs Look to Increase Adoption of Open Source Platforms Today’s mobile devices are more dependent on robust, complex operating systems capable of supporting a diverse ecosystem of new software applications. According to VDC’s recently published report on mobile operating systems, these and other software components play a vital role for OEMs in the differentiation of their mobile devices, as advanced user interfaces, maximized use of hardware capabilities, and other unique user experiences are enabled by these software products. However, operating system platforms maintained by industry consortia and through other open source projects... Read more →

Taking a Bite Out of Apple's Playbook

Microsoft Licenses ARM Architecture What happened? On July 23rd, ARM (NASDAQ: ARMH) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced that an agreement was signed between both parties and that Microsoft will be an ARM licensee. In case you missed it there was also an interesting piece in the Business Insider by Jay Yarow on ARM that can be found here. VDC’s View Both companies have had a long-term business relationship with Microsoft’s Windows Embedded CE and CE-based operating systems including Windows Mobile/Phone supporting the ARM architecture in device designs. Types of devices in addition to mobile phones include consumer electronics, mobile handheld... Read more →

Complimentary Embedded Software and Tools Research Available

Did you know that we regularly produce complimentary research highlights and content? You can receive immediate access to the latest updates and research notes from VDC as well as receive notifications when new free content is available from our research covering embedded software and tools technologies. In case you haven't already - please Sign Up by Clicking Here. Please also feel free to contact us if you have any questions on the research that we've posted. Read more →

Now Available: Embedded Systems Market Statistics

Embedded Software 2008 Market Intelligence Service Track 3: Embedded Systems Market Statistics VDC Research Group is pleased to announce the release of seven reports on embedded systems market statistics, as part its 2008 Embedded Software Market Intelligence Service. The statistics are based on detailed Web survey responses from hundreds of embedded developers and VDC’s proprietary embedded systems market statistics model. This model is a tool for estimating and forecasting the global population of embedded engineers, the global number of project starts, and the Total Market for Embedded Software Engineering (TMESE). Each volume focuses on one of the following key vertical... Read more →