24 August 2010

Nokia And Intel To Open
Their First Joint Research Centre In Oulu

Further uniting the Internet with mobile phones and computers, Intel and Nokia have agreed to open their first joint research centre in Oulu, northern Finland, focusing on improving the usability of mobile devices through the innovative 3D interfaces.

To realize this shared vision, both companies are expanding their longstanding relationship to define a new mobile platform beyond today's smartphones, notebooks and netbooks, enabling the development of a variety of innovative hardware, software and mobile Internet services.

The new research lab is part of wider cooperation between the world's largest semiconductor firm and the top cellphone maker that unites and focuses many of the brightest computing and communications minds in the world, and will ultimately deliver open and standards-based technologies, which history shows drive rapid innovation, adoption and consumer choice.

With the convergence of the Internet and mobility as the team's only barrier, I can only imagine the innovation that will come out of this unique relationship between the biggest chipmaker and handset maker and their first joint research lab.

The new research lab at Oulu is opening with around two dozen researchers culled from the local community. The university has become a centre of expertise in 3D, with the open-source virtual reality platform realXtend created there.

Initial research will focus on 3D mobile interfaces and virtual worlds being used in mobile environments, but company executives cautioned this was a long-term project and the rapid addition of this to the operating systems of handsets was unlikely.

Taking advantage of each company's expertise as leaders in their respective fields, these future standards-based devices will marry the best features and capabilities of the computing and communications worlds and will transform the user experience, bringing incredible mobile applications and always on, always connected wireless Internet access in a user-friendly pocketable form factor.

Martin Curley, director of Intel Labs Europe, said on Monday there was now an “active and vibrant community” developing applications for MeeGo and the first developer conference will take place in October in Dublin.

“MeeGo has got the biggest attention,”Mika Setälä, Director of Nokia Strategy Alliances and Partnerships, told a media conference call, adding: “We are still exploring with Intel the possibilities to do something together on the hardware side, but today we don’t have any news to announce.”

“Cooperation between the biggest chipmaker and handset maker represents a significant commitment to work together on the future of mobile computing, and we plan to turn our joint research into action," said Kai Öistämö, Executive Vice President, Devices, Nokia. "We will explore new ideas in designs, materials and displays that will go far beyond devices and services on the market today. This collaboration will be compelling not only for our companies, but also for our industries, our partners and, of course, for consumers."