微軟(Microsoft)與其PC老戰(zhàn)友──英特爾(Intel)即將再度連手，預(yù)計(jì)在今年四月發(fā)布共同進(jìn)軍物聯(lián)網(wǎng)(IoT)的合作伙伴計(jì)劃。兩家公司預(yù)計(jì)將推出一款可支持英特爾32位 Pentium 指令集架構(gòu) Quark處理器的 IoT 產(chǎn)品。 但 這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃將會(huì)著重于 Windows 的嵌入式版本、 Windows Phone 或其它程序代碼，目前尚不清楚。此外，這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃是否包括采用微軟 Windows Azure 云端服務(wù)的各項(xiàng) IoT 服務(wù)，目前也還不得而知。但雙方的這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃預(yù)計(jì)將在舊金山舉行的微軟開發(fā)者大會(huì)(Microsoft Build)上發(fā)布。 PC市場(chǎng)從早期的高成長(zhǎng)時(shí)代發(fā)展至今，Wintel雙頭寡占的局面已經(jīng)存在許多年了。如今，PC成長(zhǎng)已經(jīng)趨于平緩，這兩大巨擘針對(duì)新興的IoT市場(chǎng)展開合作也是很自然的。 “兩 家公司在許多以嵌入式市場(chǎng)為基礎(chǔ)的部署仍密切相關(guān)，”Venture Development Corp.公司負(fù)責(zé)追蹤IoT發(fā)展的分析師Christopher Rommel指出，“但唯有雙方連手以針對(duì)低能耗設(shè)備的合作開發(fā)藍(lán)圖和解決方案致力于滿足現(xiàn)有客戶基礎(chǔ)的期望與需求，這一切才顯得有意義?！比欢?，他表示 并未聽到兩家公司發(fā)表任何具體的產(chǎn)品計(jì)劃。 對(duì)于英特爾來說，與微軟在IoT方面的合作“將進(jìn)一步展現(xiàn)該公司支持低能耗設(shè)備作 業(yè)系統(tǒng)的承諾——除了Wind River與Android以外，”Christopher Rommel表示，“而對(duì)于微軟來說，這將為其帶來一個(gè)向下延伸至設(shè)備層級(jí)的新機(jī)會(huì)——這一領(lǐng)域一向由更傳統(tǒng)實(shí)時(shí)操作系統(tǒng)所服務(wù)，而 Windows CE/Compact 以往是無法觸及的?！? 微軟還可能在 IoT 方面尋求其他微處理器伙伴的合作。其 Windows RT 以及 Compact 7 目前已能支持ARM了，從而為一大堆適于 IoT 應(yīng)用的整合型、低功耗處理器開啟了大門。 該 公司在嵌入式操作系統(tǒng)領(lǐng)域的發(fā)展歷程十分曲折。過去已經(jīng)推出了好幾個(gè)基于其Windows程序代碼子集的平臺(tái)版本，但經(jīng)常因?yàn)槲刺峁┳銐虻闹С侄l(fā)爭(zhēng)議， 特別是在實(shí)時(shí)功能方面。不過，它已經(jīng)在嵌入式系統(tǒng)領(lǐng)域占據(jù)重要位置了，擁有廣大的 Windows 開發(fā)者社群，同時(shí)也有很好的機(jī)會(huì)可結(jié)合其設(shè)備軟件與 Azure 云端服務(wù)。 競(jìng)爭(zhēng)廠商們都將目光投向了這些類似的機(jī)會(huì)。蘋果公司(Apple)CEO庫克曾經(jīng)提到改變“用戶的生活體驗(yàn)”的方式，意味著它應(yīng)該是一種可執(zhí)行于消費(fèi) IoT 云端服務(wù)的方式。IBM已經(jīng)為其企業(yè)用戶實(shí)現(xiàn) IoT 云端服務(wù)了，思科(Cisco Systems)預(yù)計(jì)也將在不久后推出類似的服務(wù)。 “我不知道大家對(duì)于Windows 的 IoT 版本會(huì)有什么樣的反應(yīng)，”以其母公司LogMeIn平臺(tái)提供云端 IoT服務(wù)的Xively公司產(chǎn)品策略副總裁Chad Jones表示，“接下來我們還會(huì)看到越來越多的公司投入市場(chǎng)，并持續(xù)擴(kuò)大這一市場(chǎng)大餅?！? 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：Wintel Rides Again, Now to IoT ，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} Wintel Rides Again, Now to IoT Rick Merritt SAN JOSE, Calif. — Microsoft is expected to announce a partnership in April to dive into the Internet of Things with its veteran PC partner, Intel. The two are expected to deliver an IoT offering that supports Intel's Quark, a Pentium-class processor for the IoT. It's not clear whether the work will focus on embedded versions of Windows, Windows Phone, or another code base. Whether the work includes hosted IoT services using Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud service also is unclear. Neither Microsoft nor Intel responded to requests for interviews on the topic today. The plan is expected to be announced at Microsoft Build in San Francisco. The Wintel duopoly has ruled the PC market from its early high-growth days until the present. Now that PC growth has leveled off, it makes sense for the two to collaborate on emerging markets in the IoT. "Much of their deployed base in the embedded market remains interwoven," Christopher Rommel, an analyst covering the IoT at VDC Research, told us. "It only makes sense that they would look to cater to the desires and needs of their existing customer base with a joint roadmap and solution for small-footprint devices." He has not been briefed on any specific product plans from the two companies. For Intel, an IoT partnership with Microsoft "would be a further demonstration of their commitment to support a range of operating systems for small-footprint devices – beyond Wind River and Android," he said. "For Microsoft, it would serve as a an opportunity to push down to device classes historically served by more traditional real-time operating systems that CE/Compact couldn't even address previously." Microsoft is likely to tap other microprocessor partners for the IoT. Its Windows RT and Compact 7 already support ARM, opening the door to a smorgasbord of integrated, low-power processors well suited for IoT apps. The company has something of a checkered history in embedded operating systems. It has rolled out several versions of platforms based on subsets of its Windows code, but it has often taken heat for not providing adequate support, especially for real-time features. Nevertheless, it has a significant installed base in embedded systems, a wide community of Windows developers, and an opportunity to tie together its device software with Azure cloud services. Competitors are eyeing similar opportunities. Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked in vague terms about changing the "user experience" of living in ways that suggest it could be working on a consumer IoT cloud service. IBM already has an IoT cloud service for businesses, and Cisco Systems is expected to launch one soon. "I don't know how people will react to a version of Windows for IoT," Chad Jones, vice president of product strategy for Xively, which provides cloud IoT services based on the platform of its parent company, LogMeIn, told us. "In the end, more companies jumping into this market will increase the pie."