The Intent 2 SDK paves the way for operators and content providers to tap the largest possible pool of consumers, while consumers stand to benefit from a device platform that hides the intricacies of the underlying technologies.

Tao’s Intent 2 SDK, to be launched today, extends the capabilities of the Reading, UK-based company’s Intent multimedia platform to encompass most existing mobile content formats within the context of a new applications environment and launcher known as the Qi Brandable Control Centre.

Supported content formats include the major scripting and web markup languages, rich audio and visual content, and applications written in C and C++, complementing Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME, but now in MIDP2.0 specification) and PersonalJava, both of which featured in the previous version.

Qi also adds GUI customization, allowing service providers and device manufacturers to tweak the look and feel of content deployed on an Intent-powered device in line with their marketing requirements, but without having to alter the underlying content. Qi is also extendable to cater for operator specific content formats, where required.

Tao chairman and CEO Francis Charig said the enhancements to Intent make it the most open mobile device environment available to date and will help break down the technology obstacles that have so far limited the appeal of mobile data services for users, mobile network operators and content providers.

There’s been a fixation on technology, first with WAP then with mobile Java. But consumers don’t give a stuff about the technology, said Charig. [While for operators] it’s all about churn and ARPU [average revenue per user]; brand control and delivering services that are sticky. They don’t give a damn what the content is.

Content providers will also find their options opened by Intent 2 SDK. Having C and C++ allows you to get content that the big hairy games programmers use, said Charig. But the real importance in going up the chain is that we’re providing the potential to have really powerful interactive content in DHTML. Three years ago people said Java would power everything. Now everything is done in scripting languages. Content providers aren’t engineers.

Charig reported a phenomenal response from mobile operators. He claimed that many are set to begin specifying Intent for future handsets, some of which may be available before the end of the year. (This is in addition to Telefonica which has already stated its intention to offer handsets from recently announced Tao licensee MyOrigo Ltd.)

Charig was keen not to stress the impact on the hoards of other vendors that are looking to gain a share of the potentially massive, and highly lucrative, smart device market. However, it is hard not to predict a difficult time for rival mobile device platform vendors should Intent live up to Tao’s expectations in penetrating the mobile operator market.

Intent 2 SDK now comprises five parts, which can be deployed in part or full depending on requirements. These include Qi, Intent Sound System, Intent Visual Environment, and the Java and C/C++ runtime components.

Tao’s Intent guarantees both application portability across all devices using the relevant Intent components, irrespective of chip architecture or host operating system (if one is implemented), and high performance, even in extremely constrained environments.

This is achieved through the concept of a binary portable runtime environment, which sees code in different languages translated first (either dynamically or ahead of time) into Intent’s own Virtual Processor code before final translation into the native code of the underlying chip.

Source: Computerwire