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Independent Analysis of
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| Windows Embedded and Mobile Roadmap |
| Wednesday, 04 August 2010 |
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Page 1 of 3
To provide flexibility to developers building specialized devices, Microsoft offers different embeddable OSs and platforms. An embedded OS offers device developers the potential to build any device and to differentiate that device from others in the same category, at the cost of increased development and time to market. In contrast, embedded platforms target specific devices, such as point-of-service devices or smartphones, and shorten development and time to market but lessen the ability to differentiate devices. This large number of choices, combined with frequent name and brand changes, can make it hard to choose which OS or platform to use. (For a graphical overview showing all the products on Microsoft's embedded and mobile roadmap, see "Windows Embedded and Mobile Overview". For other details, including lifecycle dates, see the chart "Windows Embedded OSs and Platforms".) Embedded Operating Systems An embedded OS is a small-footprint, highly customized OS that can be used in a wide range of devices, such as industrial robots, TV set-top boxes, and portable devices built for an organization's specialized data-collection applications. The Windows Embedded line of products and platforms are built on two core OSs: Windows Embedded Standard and Windows Embedded Compact (formerly Windows Embedded CE). In addition, Microsoft licenses some full Windows client and server OSs for use in devices: Windows Embedded Enterprise and Windows Embedded Server. Windows Embedded Standard for PC-Like Devices Windows Embedded Standard (Standard) is a componentized version of the Windows OS client. Previous versions of the componentized Windows OS included specialized tools and a database to provide access to Windows OS components and to help developers understand the dependencies between components. Although the current version, Windows Embedded Standard 7, still includes tools to help developers select the necessary components and dependencies, the OS also takes advantage of the division of the Windows client into discrete components, which occurred with Windows Vista. Developers select Standard as the embedded OS when they want to leverage their Windows development experience to build specialized devices with the following characteristics:
Since Windows Vista, the Windows client has been componentized, and administrators can use tools such as the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) to build custom Windows client images for their organization. For embedded device developers, Standard includes more specialized tools that allow a developer to select the smallest subset of Windows client components, when the overall footprint of the OS image matters, or include most of the components when application compatibility with existing Windows applications is more important. Because Standard is based on the Windows client OS, it is not a real-time OS—that is, it does not offer a guaranteed or deterministic response to process requests. In addition to all of the Windows OS components, Standard includes other embedded device specialized components, such as an Enhanced Write Filter, which provides the ability to write-protect a run-time OS image; Hibernate Once, Resume Many (HORM), which allows faster device start; and custom shell support that includes unbranded startup screens and a component that supplies a default reply for message boxes, particularly necessary on devices without monitors. Windows Embedded Standard Versions The most recent version of Windows Embedded Standard is Standard 7, which was released in Apr. 2010 and will be generally available in July 2010. The next full release will probably be available approximately 90 to 120 days after the release of the next Windows client OS (tentatively referred to as Windows 8), although there could also be a Standard 7 update shortly after the release of Windows 7 SP1. Standard 7. Standard 7 is based on Windows 7, the current version of the Windows client OS. It includes Internet Explorer (IE 8, Windows Media Player 12, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 7.0, Silverlight 3, and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. Standard 7 development tools include Target Analyzer, which can be run on a new device with the desired processor and hardware, to help determine which OS components and drivers the device needs. The Image Builder Wizard (IBW) and an Image Configuration Editor assist the developer with the creation of a customized, small-footprint OS image for an embedded device. Standard 2009. Standard 2009, the precursor to Standard 7, was based on Windows XP Professional SP3. It included IE 7, Windows Media Player 11, RDP 6.1, Silverlight 1.0 and the .NET Framework 3.5, as well as components to support connection and interoperation with newer Windows Server features such Network Access Protection (NAP) and Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.5. Because Windows XP Professional was not componentized to the same degree as Windows 7, developers must use specialized tools including Component Designer (which can make an application or device driver into an embeddable component) and Target Designer (which allows developers to select the components to include in an embedded OS image) to build devices based on Standard 2009. A separate database included with Target Designer stores the device information that ensures that an OS image has all the necessary components. Windows Embedded Compact for Low-Power, Real-Time Devices Windows Embedded Compact (Compact), formerly known as Windows Embedded CE or Windows CE, was designed to leverage the Windows programming model while providing a real-time, componentized OS that runs on a variety of processors, including the ARM processors commonly used in mobile devices. Compact supports a 4GB virtual address space and can support up to 32,000 processes (although the actual number of processes is dependent upon the resources in the device). Components supply typical OS features such as network communications (wired and wireless), reading and writing data to a file system, synchronizing data with other devices, and components that keep the OS updated with the latest technologies from Microsoft such as Silverlight for Windows Embedded. Developers typically select Compact when they need an OS for a device with some of the following characteristics:
Compact includes a tool called Platform Builder (previously a stand-alone application but now integrated with Visual Studio) for building OS images and applications that run on those images. Applications for Compact written using unmanaged code (code that does use the .NET Framework) use Compact-specific APIs that are similar to the Win32 APIs used on the Windows client and server; managed code is written using the .NET Compact Framework (a logical subset of the .NET Framework for devices). Working with Compact and Platform Builder, developers can create unique devices that are easy to distinguish from other devices in the same category, even if they are also built on Compact. As a consequence of the different APIs, many standard Windows components, such as Windows Media Player, IE, RDP, and the .NET Framework, need to be adapted to Compact, which makes it difficult to track how features in a Compact version of a component specifically align with its counterpart in Windows. In some cases, the Compact component may contain a subset of the features available in its desktop counterpart, but it may also contain unique features that target certain types of devices. For example, a version of IE for Compact may not be a feature-for-feature match of a current version of IE included in Windows, but it may offer better support for device requirements such as touch- and gesture-based browsing. Platform Builder includes a number of Board Support Packages (BSPs), which facilitate creation of an OS image for a particular processor and its associated hardware. For example, Platform Builder includes BSPs for a large number of ARM processors (including the Intel PXA27x and the Texas Instruments SDP2420), MIPS processors (including the NEC Solution Gear 2-Vr5500), and Intel x86 processors. A test toolkit is also provided to support customized device testing. (Support for specific BSPs is tied to releases of Compact and subject to change with each release.) Because releases of Compact and Visual Studio are not always in sync, each version of Platform Builder is typically integrated with the version of Visual Studio that was current when work on the associated version of Compact shipped. When a new release of Compact ships, a newer version of Visual Studio may be available, and a service pack is usually provided after the Compact release to allow the included version of Platform Builder to integrate with the current version of Visual Studio. Windows Embedded Compact Versions The current release of Windows Embedded Compact is Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3, which became generally available in Sept. 2009. Because the next release, Compact 7, is currently in a Community Technology Preview (CTP) and will likely ship before the end of 2010, it will be described first. Compact 7. Compact 7 is next release of CE, and it supports ARM (including v5, v6, and v7), MIPS (II and II FP), and x86 processors. In addition to low-level improvements to the OS kernel and support for the NDIS 6.1 networking driver interface, Compact 7 may include the following pieces: updated support for MPEG-4 and high-definition (HD) video; improved compatibility with the Windows 7 Device Stage; updated Office Viewers and Exchange support; an updated version of IE Embedded; sync support for the Media Transport Protocol (MTP), and Silverlight for Windows Embedded. The Silverlight for Windows Embedded UI technology will be based on Silverlight 3, but it does not support managed code development. Platform Builder 7 is improved with Visual Studio 2008 integration and can be run on Windows 7 to create an embedded OS image and applications. Expression Blend can be used to create Silverlight-based applications to run on Compact 7. A virtual CE PC (vCEPC) software development board eliminates the hardware expense and configuration overhead of using a physical PC to create, save, and test different x86 hardware configurations. The Compact Test Kit (CTK), which is used to test the functionality and performance of device drivers, has a new UI and a new name (it was formerly CETK) to reflect the new OS name. CE 6.0 R3. The current release of Compact is CE 6.0 R3, which was released in Oct. 2009. New features added to CE 6.0 R3 include the following: Silverlight for Windows Embedded; IE Embedded, an implementation of IE for devices that supports panning and zooming for Web page navigation and a customizable interface to optimize the browsing experience on devices; Touch and Gesture input support for applications not running in IE; Connection Manager, which makes it easier to manage network connections; Flash Lite, a highly optimized implementation of Adobe Flash for devices; updated Office and PDF Viewers; and the QQ Messenger Client (which is popular in Asia). CE 6.0 R3 discontinued support for SH4 processors. Platform Builder for CE 6.0 R3 is integrated with Visual Studio 2005. Licensing a Full Windows OS for Devices In addition to its specialized embedded OSs, Microsoft also licenses full versions of some of its desktop and server OSs for use in embedded devices. These licenses allow the use of the OS on a device but offer no tools or other components. They do offer a high degree of compatibility with Windows applications. Windows Embedded Enterprise. Although not an actual embedded OS, Windows Embedded Enterprise allows embedded device developers to license current and legacy Windows client OSs for use in devices. Licensable Windows versions include Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, Vista Business and Ultimate, and XP Professional. Windows Embedded Server. Although not an actual embedded OS, Windows Embedded Server allows embedded device developers to license various current and legacy Windows Server OSs for use in devices such as server appliances. Licensable Windows Server products include Windows Server 2008 R2, 2008, 2003 R2, and 2003. Developers using recent versions of Windows Server for a device or server appliance may find the core installation mode, which installs a subset of the OS for a particular role, useful. Embedded Platforms Typically, an embedded platform is built on an embedded OS by Microsoft for a specific class of devices, such as point-of-service devices or smartphones, with a specific processor. In addition to the basic OS image, a platform adds device-specific components intended to reduce the amount of customization work for device makers, thereby speeding time to market. Microsoft builds embedded platforms on embedded OSs, but a platform can diverge from its embedded OS in several ways. Typically, the platform team will take a snapshot of the current embedded OS build and begin development of the platform while work on the next version of the embedded OS continues in parallel. As a result, there is little or no relationship between the version numbers of a platform and the underlying OS. For example, the Windows Mobile platform version 6.5 is built on the CE 5.2 kernel. Also, an embedded platform will occasionally have features not present in the underlying embedded OS. The embedded platform development team may build a component for a device-specific function or take a component currently under development for the underlying embedded OS, along with its prerequisites. For example, Touch and Gesture components have been built specifically for the Windows Mobile platform and updated between versions of Windows Mobile built on the same underlying version of Compact. Because embedded platforms are not locked to the underlying embedded OS releases, they have their own lifecycle support dates, which determine how long Microsoft will deliver fixes and provide other support to device developers and end users. Microsoft offers one platform based on Windows Embedded Standard for point-of-service devices. It also offers several platforms based on Windows Embedded Compact for navigation devices, smartphones, handheld terminal and ruggedized data collection devices, and in-car functions (including status, media selection and playback as well as navigation) for the automotive industry. Standard-Based Platforms Currently, Windows Embedded Standard is the basis of a single platform, Windows POSReady. It facilitates the development of point-of-service devices such as cash registers that use peripherals such as barcode scanners, magnetic stripe readers (MSR), radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, receipt printers, and scales. Windows Embedded POSReady 2009. Built on Standard 2009, POSReady facilitates the development of point-of-service devices on commodity and specialized hardware with support for the Unified Point of Service (UPOS) standard or architectural specification for application interfaces to point-of-service devices that are used in the retail environment, by either Microsoft POS for .NET or the COM-based OLE for Point-of-Service. Windows Mobile The most prominent platform based on Windows Embedded Compact is Windows Mobile, which targets ARM-based devices. Although Windows Mobile contains all the components necessary to build smartphones, manufacturers may choose not to use all the available components and may even include non-Microsoft components, including UI shells. Windows Mobile 6.5. The current version of the Windows Mobile platform is 6.5, which is built on CE 5.2 and targets ARM processors. Released in 2009, Windows Mobile 6.5 provides an updated UI that includes a Today screen, changeable themes, and a lock screen that can display new messages and appointments without having to enter a PIN. The version of IE in Windows Mobile 6.5 offers a faster browsing experience than previous versions and includes search in the address bar and autocomplete. Touch offers more support for gestures than the previous version. To synchronize data between a Windows Mobile 6.5 device and a PC, manufucturers can use software such as ActiveSync version 4.5 for XP; Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC) 6.1 for Vista and Windows 7; and Exchange ActiveSync (part of Exchange Server 2003 and later). Two new services were also added: My Phone, which can synchronize calendar appointments, text messages, photos, video, contacts, and other information to the Web; and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, a new marketplace that allows users to get applications for their smartphone. Windows Mobile 6.1. The previous version of the Windows Mobile platform is 6.1, which was built on CE 5.2. Some smartphones may use an updated version of the Windows 6.1.4 platform. The version of IE in Windows Mobile 6.1 added the ability to easily view full-screen Web pages. It used technologies from IE 6 to support established and upcoming industry standards such as H.264. IE Mobile also added support for zoom, scroll, and pan; page overview; and Home page customization. In conjunction with the release of Windows Mobile 6.1, Microsoft announced System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, which makes it easier for midsize and large businesses to manage and help protect Windows Mobile phones. Future Mobile Platforms Microsoft has announced that Windows Mobile will be split into several pieces. Support of smartphones will be provided on both Windows Phone 7 and Windows Mobile 6.5. Specialized devices such as ruggedized handheld terminals will be built on Windows Mobile 6.5 and a future platform that extends Windows Mobile 6.5 named Windows Embedded Handheld. Although much of the discussion surrounding Windows Phone 7 has focused on consumer phones, Microsoft indicated at TechEd 2010 that better support for corporate use, including centralized management features, will follow the initial release. It is also conceivable that a future slate or tablet device could be built on Handheld, although Microsoft is focusing on the full Windows 7 client for tablet PCs (tablet support is built into that OS, but only a few OEMs provide a Windows 7 tablet form factor). Windows Phone 7. Announced in Feb. 2010 as part of a reset of Microsoft's smartphone strategy, Windows Phone 7 (Phone 7) is expected to be released and available in devices in the fourth quarter of 2010. Given the announcement date and the status of Windows Compact 7 at that time, it is likely that Phone 7 is built on CE 6.0 R3, with additional components for new features such as live tiles, which are on-screen icons that can dynamically change to show the latest real-time content. Phone 7 also features hubs that bring related content from the Web, applications, and services into a single view to simplify common tasks. Phone 7 provides a different application model from Windows Mobile, meaning that Windows Mobile applications—including corporate applications written for Windows Mobile 6.5 or earlier versions—will not run on Phone 7. While Phone 7 will have a strong consumer focus at launch, it will also include Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) management features, such as administrator-set password requirements and remote wipe, which resets the phone to factory settings and removes all applications and data; mobile versions of Office; and support for connecting to SharePoint Server 2010. Microsoft has noted that it will continue to expand support for business scenarios, perhaps including support for using System Center products to deploy corporate applications to the platform, though it has not provided details or a timeline. A second version, called Windows Phone 7.5 here, will likely be released to move Phone 7 to Windows Embedded Compact 7. Windows Embedded Handheld. Announced in conjunction with the Motorola ES400 enterprise digital assistant (EDA), Handheld is Microsoft's platform for building enterprise handheld devices capable of running an organization's line-of-business (LOB) applications. A first version of Handheld will extend the Windows Mobile 6.5 platform before the end of 2010, and a second release in the first half of 2011 called Handheld 7 will be built on Windows Embedded Compact 7. To provide backward compatibility to organizations that have developed LOB applications, this platform will likely remain compatible with Windows Mobile 6.5. Other Compact-Based Platforms While Windows Mobile is the most widely used platform based on Windows Embedded Compact, there are also platforms targeting in-car telematic devices and handheld navigation devices. Windows Embedded Automotive. The current version of Windows Embedded Automotive is Microsoft Auto 4.1, which is built on CE 6.0. This platform provides components to facilitate building telematic applications that offer drivers communication, entertainment, navigation, and car status information. Perhaps the best known implementation built on the Windows Embedded Automotive platform is Ford Sync, a factory-installed, fully integrated in-car communication and entertainment system. Examples of components included in Auto 4.1 are components for Bluetooth 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and Secure Simple Pairing Support. Windows Embedded NAVReady 2009. NavReady is built on CE 5.0 to provide developers with a platform for handheld navigation devices that can easily connect to online services, Bluetooth-capable mobile phones, and Windows-based PCs. Selecting an Embedded OS or a Platform Given the large number of choices, developers can find selecting the correct OS or platform difficult. In general, developers who want a high degree of control over the features or the device, want to be able to differentiate their device from other devices in the same category, have development expertise, and don't consider time to market to be critical, should select an embedded OS rather than a platform. This still leaves the question of which embedded OS to choose. Factors that determine the correct answer include the requirement to run Windows applications (Standard), battery life (Compact), real-time requirements (Compact), and processor type (Standard supports x86; Compact supports x86 as well as specialized processors such as the ARM family). If time to market is key and differentiation from other devices in the same category is less important, a platform and its additional components are worth consideration. For, example, a point-of-service device could be created on Windows Embedded Standard or Compact, but selecting POSReady, with its additional device drivers and components for retail peripherals, may speed time to market. The final consideration is where the product is within its lifecycle. Although Windows CE 6 and Windows Mobile 6.x have been in use for several years and their idiosyncrasies are well documented, they will soon be replaced by newer technologies: Windows Compact 7 and Windows Phone 7 or Windows Embedded Handheld. The key to making the correct choice is understanding what the device needs to do, the market for the device, and what the device's competitors are doing. Resources Additional information on Windows Embedded Standard 7 is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/products/westandard/default.mspx. A comparison of Windows Embedded Standard 7 and Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is available at download.microsoft.com/download/8/3/8/8382E93C-4840-435F-B856-1D2672692DEB/Architectural-Comparison-of-Windows-Embedded-Standard-7-vs-Windows-Embedded-Standard-2009.pdf. The Windows Automated Installation Kit, and the componentization of the Windows OS is described in "Windows Vista Setup Eases Deployment" on page 3 of the July 2006 Update. Additional information on Windows Embedded Enterprise is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/products/weenterprise/default.mspx. Additional information on Windows Embedded Server is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/products/server/default.mspx. Additional information on Windows POSReady 2009 is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/products/readyproducts/posready/default.mspx. Additional information on Windows Mobile 6.5 is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/meet/wm65-faq.mspx. A comparison of Windows Mobile 6.5, 6.1, and 6.0 is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/meet/version-compare.mspx. Additional information on Windows Phone 7 is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/cmpn/windowsphone7/default.mspx. For a description of Windows Phone 7, see "Windows Phone 7 Series Resets Mobile Strategy" on page 3 of the Apr. 2010 Update. For a description of future enterprise support that may be added to Phone 7, see "Windows Phone 7 to Support Business Features". Additional information on Windows Embedded Handheld is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/products/handheld/overview.mspx. Additional information on Windows Embedded Automotive, including information on Ford Sync, is available at windowsembedded.com/auto. Additional information on Windows Embedded NavReady is available at www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/products/readyproducts/navready/default.mspx. |
