Apple’s NEW-TRON Bombshell

Posted by Dennis Sellers Apr 15, 2005 at 12:24am

Neo is Macsimum News’ international man of mystery. If we told you more, we’d have to kill you.
The Ubiquitous Society

In the previous chapter, I presented some of the underlying principles behind a revolutionary next-generation iServices Platform that I perceive Apple revealing to the world sometime over the next 15 months. Though for the record, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this Big Bang event was launched much earlier.

So to kick off today’s chapter, I thought I’d first present you with a snippet of Microsoft’s latest vision that was reported in mid March 2005 as follows:

° A decade ago, Bill Gates and other executives at Microsoft decided that traditional packaged software was dead—all software would eventually be delivered via the Internet.

° Now, Microsoft is quietly working on the technological innards that will one day let the company offer corporate customers what is known in the industry as “software as a service.”

In reality, the originating vision in respect to Ubiquitous Computing was first founded more than two decades ago, which of course preded to Mr. Gates 1995 realization. The closest thing to Ubiquitous Computing being a reality in North America goes back to the 1991 visionary work being conducted between Apple and IBM on a project called TalOS, which I covered in chapter 11. I reiterate that the OS in TalOS was originally tagged as Object Services, though it was generally reported incorrectly at that time as solely being an operating system. The principles of TalOS were derived from the originating vision of a global 1984 project, which I’ll review later in this chapter. So the March 2005 report about Mr. Gates vision of software as a service – wasn’t visionary in the least! Though I guess I’m preaching to the choir on that point.

So being that the hot topic du jour is all about “software as a service” (or iServices), I think it’s time to cover this topic as it relates to Apple from a different angle. One of the biggest waves coming out of the giant telecoms in Japan today is all about the coming era of the “Ubiquitous Society”. Being that these giants are working intimately with Apple, it’s time to understand this concept as it relates to the next wave of the Internet.

Casanova Points to the Core

Something of interest caught my eye back in October 2004 when reading Casanova’s bio for a keynote he was giving back in October 2004 at the CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment show. It read in part, as follows:

“As Senior Director of Mac OS X Audio and Video Product Marketing, Frank Casanova drives the worldwide strategy and product marketing behind Apple’s innovative and award-winning media technology products. His responsibilities include Core Audio, Core Video and Core Image technologies in OSX, the QuickTime family of products and business development for Apple’s industry- leading 3G mobile multimedia solutions.

In 1993, he moved into Apple’s Advanced Technology Group and headed the Advanced Systems Laboratory, where he and his engineers worked on the problems around ubiquitous computing and information access among other “Third Paradigm” technologies. After a two year stint as Vice President of Product Management and Interface Design at MetaCreations, based in Santa Barbara California, Casanova returned to Apple in late 1998 to lead the Product Marketing efforts in the QuickTime group and has helped drive QuickTime to a leadership position in the world of standards-based media architectures.

Hmm, ubiquitous computing and information access among other Third Paradigm technologies. Interesting isn’t it that ubiquitous computing was relegated to Apple’s QuickTime division? Yes, of course. This simple revelation found in Casanova’s bio put a number of other things I’d been researching into perspective, though perhaps it was more of a final confirmation. And it’s time to share some of that with you today and will be carried over in upcoming chapters.

Oddly enough, I’ll begin with the very event Casanova’s bio was derived from. The following are a few key excerpts from C/net’s report entitled “QuickTime won’t make quick time to cell phones,”, which followed Frank’s keynote:

° While Apple competitors Microsoft and Real prefer to attack the burgeoning market for cell phone entertainment by having handset makers embed their media players directly into phones, Apple doesn’t see the need, Cassanova said. Major cell phone carriers Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo and KDDI already use QuickTime on their servers that manage media for photo e-mailing and other new services.

° In a way, Apple’s found its way into the core of cell phone carriers without having to build a single handset, primarily by selling servers to manage media on a cell phone operator’s network, Cassanova told his audience.

° “The servers don’t get as much fanfare” as Apple’s iPod, Cassanova said. Yet, 25 operators are in trials with the equipment, and Apple’s in discussions with about 25 more.

° We don’t have to play anywhere on the phone” because QuickTime is at the core of many carriers’ media-oriented services, he adds. “We do play a lot on the computers on either end, though.”

KDDI Delivers iServices with Apple’s New Core

Being that Casanova referenced KDDI, let’s take a contextual peek at KDDI’s own flash presentation entitled “Knock! Knock! Ubiquitous” – where you’ll see why Ubiquitous computing is exactly where this next wave is leading us all. Here you’ll find a number of very interesting things to note, the first being KDDI’s new marketing slogan – “KDDI, Ubiquitous Solution Company.” That kind of sets the companies priorities straight, wouldn’t you agree?

As you begin their presentation, pay special attention to their clearly defined triple core essentials. They basically reflect that which has become widely known as “Triple-Play” in North America – which I recently covered in chapter X. First is their Personal Gateway, followed by ubiquitous media, and Ubiquitous Solutions (as per illustration).

So when Casanova referenced KDDI in his keynote, you can now relate to what he was referencing when he stated that KDDI was already using “QuickTime on their servers to manage their media and other new services.” So it’s quite evident that QuickTime is behind what KDDI is now presenting as Ubiquitous Media. So take note that in reality KDDI’s Ubiquitous Media is therefore: QuickTime Ubiquitous Media. It’s called deductive-reasoning!

If you go further into their presentation, KDDI’s Episode 3 will reveal the following verbiage:

° “Ubiquitous Media” Harmonizes Broadcast, Internet and EC (electronic commerce). KDDI brings together the best of ground to mobile technology to link broadcast, Internet and electronic commerce using a broadband network. The goal is to promote an unprecedented and new media choice.

Further into Episode 3, they introduce e-learning, which is going to play a major role in this “new media choice,” amongst other things. Focus on the facts that episode 3 presents:

° Communications, broadcast and payment linked services

° e-Learning by linking mobile and broadband services, and

° Manage video data over the Internet.

So, what we’re learning here is that QuickTime Ubiquitous Media isn’t just about being a slick marketing slogan or the same old QuickTime services repackaged. Apple’s new QuickTime Media, as previewed here in a real world Telecom program, is in fact the next generation of QuickTime that entails gaining a totally new ecommerce process – which KDDI strategically dubs it as: (QuickTime) Ubiquitous Solutions. You don’t have to see the prefix of QuickTime in order to connect the dots between what Frank Casanova actually presented using KDDI as an example and now seeing what KDDI is actually executing on. Knock! Knock! Are you getting the implications of this! What a go Frankie – some of us got your message loud and clear!

To envision what Ubiquitous Solutions will actually mean in our daily lives, simply explore the 3 episodes in their entirety. This well rounded overview will demonstrate how these integrated iServices and features will interact in real-time, such as cell phones with ,b>network-centric televisions integrated with IP/TV services and even how your cell phone will become your TV remote! In my very first article called Apple’s Illuminating Future: Chameleon – which was all about Apple’s Chameleon patent (found only on Apple-X August 2004) – I pointed to Apple’s Steve Hotelling’s possible connection with the updated patent as being related to a next-generation universal TV remote. Now seeing how this played out in KDDI’s presentation in action, is a blast.

Another interesting technology that came to light was something they refer to as etag presentations (better known as RFID). In fact, one of the presentations will actually give you a bit of a heads up as to how QuickTime 7 will be able to seamlessly integrate GPS mapping with video, still photos and other XML and Java based applications and or iServices, all in real-time. Perhaps it’s the sheer speed of the interactivity displayed in a device in Episode 1 that will finally knock some sense into people’s heads that in order to actually perform these tasks as demonstrated, will definitely require a PPC based CELL processor powering the device! It’s just not going to happen otherwise – period!

For what it’s worth, you’ll even get a kick out of these wacky episodes being reminiscent of the old, badly dubbed Japanese-to-English Godzilla movies from the sixties. I got a few good laughs out of them myself. However, it’s the message that counts here – so, two enthusiastic thumbs up for KDDI.

Finally and perhaps more importantly, KDDI’s reference to the Ubiquitous Society wasn’t about a slick marketing slogan. No, in fact that phrase has a specific root that is inextricably linked with a core philosophy and very specific global standards based project as follows.

A Basic overview of ITRON

As Apple was launching the world’s first graphical-user-interface based personal computer back in 1984, Dr. Ken Sakamura brought forth his vision of TRON – The Realtime Operating system Nucleus.

Now with phases one and two of this project now complete, TRON is quickly advancing to its final stage to fulfill its original vision – the “computing everywhere” environment. This phase was to actively promote the notion of a ubiquitous society. In this third and final stage,ITRON’S ultimate vision of delivering Internet centric services or iServices has begun.

ITRON is an open architecture and is taking the initiative in the embedded systems field to establish software and hardware platforms (Referred to as T-Engine and T-Kernel) for the next generation of real-time systems. In support of open principles the project’s Hybrid OS specification combining the advantages of Java and ITRON brought forth JTRON. The following are the basic principles of ITRON:

1 – Computing Everywhere: From its start, the goal of the TRON Project has been to create a concept of a “computing everywhere” environment, in which common, everyday objects are embedded with computer intelligence. Moreover, these “smart” objects are able to communicate with each other, thus increasing the collaboration of electronic devices in our environment. Think Rendezvous.

2 – Small and Deterministic: For the operating system to be useful for a wide range of systems, including cell phones and other mobile devices, it needs to be compact in size. Additionally, real-time performance is a must for use in these electronic devices that are used in daily life.

3 – Human Interface: Just as important as the performance-related requirements are the human interface issues. In a “computing everywhere” world, computer-embedded devices are the interface between human beings and their environment, making the “digital divide” a crucial problem to overcome. It is essential for these computerized systems to be usable by everyone. Because of the importance of the human interface issues, the Enableware concept, which extends computer accessibility to all, including those with disabilities, has been part of the TRON Project from its conception. – Think VoiceOver.

4 – Secure Environment: Security is one more vital issue in a “computing everywhere” environment. The environment needs to be kept safe from unauthorized network access, invasions of privacy, or remote tampering with systems. This requires security guarantees in each of the computers making up the environment. A new initiative to create a standard security platform, called eTRON, is being designed to address the security concerns.

5 – Open Architecture: The results of the TRON Project are made available as open specifications. Anyone is free to use these specifications, develop products based on them, and offer those products on the market. The freedom of open specifications provides benefit to the entire computing industry by allowing a low cost of entry. Developers are able to build devices that conform to the standards without a large investment. Think Darwin Streaming Server.

6 – Loose Specification: The TRON specifications define the operating system interfaces, not the implementation of the system. In this way they are “loose specifications.” The interfaces are defined hierarchically, enabling the development process and the implementation process to occur independently. The defined layers allow teams to work in tandem with each other and eliminate any dependencies between the teams. Moreover, product development at any layer can take place based on free market principles and competition.

Results to Date: The following specifications have been developed in the TRON Project and offered to the public. ITRON: Real-time OS specifications for embedded systems; JTRON: Hybrid OS specification combining the advantages of Java and ITRON; BTRON: GUI (Graphical User Interface) and related OS specifications; CTRON: OS interface specifications for use in communication control & information processing systems; TRON Human Interface: Standard guidelines for design of human interfaces in electronic products of all kinds. The latest addition to the ITRON family of projects revolves around the key developments surrounding the T-Engine, which will be further explored in an upcoming chapter.

ITRON has gone on to become a de facto standard in the embedded systems field, especially in Japan, where it is widely used in cellular phones and other consumer products. The CTRON specifications were adopted by NTT DoCoMo as technical requirements for international procurement of RTOS-based systems.

TRON’s Project Road Map

Apple’s Key Alliance Partners – Think ITRON

The following are only a few choice allies of Apple’s that are intimately involved with ITRON based technologies, and over time I’ll present others to demonstrate this quiet revolution in progress.

Being that NTT DoCoMo has strategically adopted CTRON, you should check out a presentation of theirs entitled “Interconnected World: Innovative Ubiquitous Services Powered by NTT DoCoMo,” in order to get their perspective on this subject. There’s a related report on this theme entitled 3G success in Japan: Waves of Disruptive Innovation, where you’ll find a basic outline of this disruptive wave report that covers both KDDI’s AU and DoCoMo i-mode services in relation to ITRON. Apple of course references DoCoMo on a number of their Web pages that point to QuickTime being their exclusive desktop player and being strategically involved with DoCoMo’s advanced 3G FOMA “i-motion” platform, which I’ll touch on again in an upcoming chapter.

Another strategic ally of Apple’s is of course IBM, and one of their links to ITRON comes by way of IBM acquiring Rational back in late 2002. It was reported at that time that IBM had gained a serious tools division to enhance its portfolio of software applications and management products that IBM officials said helped position the company for its business On Demand strategy.

Of course, it’s what kind of a tools division they gained that matters here, in that Rational was listed as one of the leading ITRON developers (see under Nihon Rational Software link), which puts things into perspective regarding WebSphere and the importance that IBM had apparently placed in gaining this advanced ITRON centric team of engineers. And isn’t good to know that Apple clearly supports IBM-founded Eclipse on various Apple Developer web pages, that plays a role in WebSphere. Yes, of course.

IBM lists RTOS ITRON in connection with WebSphere here, on their WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment webpage along with their PDF on pervasive computing (see the key PDF illustration above). Hmm, I wonder what that “Partner Interface” is all about.

In the previous chapter, under the sub header entitled “IBM-Apple: The Next Wave vision,” I presented IBM’s never ending theme that pointed to the limitations of the browser. So now in context with verbiage contained within IBM’s very own pervasive computing PDF, we finally get to see what vehicle IBM chose to exact that next wave vision of 2001: Websphere. The PDF presents Breaking through the barriers as follows:

As part of an end-to-end solution for deploying enterprise-class applications to small devices, IBM has broken through the “browser barrier,” enabling the storing and forwarding of information on devices that are intermittently connected to the network. WebSphere Micro Environment has broken through the “device barrier, providing a production-ready runtime environment across the more popular devices and device operating systems in the market today. Together with the integrated development environment (IBM WebSphere Studio Device Developer), IBM has created the right platform and the right tools — a solution for things that think and link. Hmm, that’s “Think –ing Different” isn’t it?

So IBM’s vision wasn’t pie-in-the-sky theory after all. Clearly IBM has delivered on their vision of going beyond the browser, as outlined in 2001, and their commitment to ITRON was evidenced by their high level acquisition of Rational Software.

Apple Thinks ITRON

On one hand, I think that the case has already been made indirectly that Apple is intimately linked to the ITRON Project via their successful alliances with both DoCoMo and KDDI. There’s simply no way for Apple to have been working so closely with these Telco giants without Apple’s technology being in compliance with their implementation of ITRON. Yet, I think that this little fact may be of strategic importance: ITRON’s official specifications for u-ITRON 4. (See PDF) lists Rendezvous throughout this lengthy 372 page document – and quite frankly, far too many times for me to even bother counting. So imagine that, Apple’s Rendezvous technology is buried right into the very core of u-ITRON 4.0 – the most popular OS in the world. Now how about that for Apple’s first NEW-TRON bombshell!

More importantly is the little fact that Apple Computer Japan has been a member of the ITRON Association going all the way back to at least 1990 along with other North American tech giants like IBM and Sun Microsystems. That provides the TalOS project with a little more perspective as to its very roots and sheds some refreshing light regarding the likelihood of an upcoming ITRON compliant Apple based iServices Platform. For the record, Sun Microsystems’ JavaOS is coincidentally based on uITRON 4.0 specification. Hmm, what do you think of that: IBM, Apple and Sun, all in-sync with the ITRON project and have been for years!

So without a scintilla of doubt on my part, the inclusion of Rendezvous within uITRON’s specification was nothing short of being a shrewd strategic move on Apple’s part. To what end? Well, according to Steve Jobs:

“The mobile phone market—with 1.5 billion subscribers expected worldwide by the end of 2004—is a phenomenal opportunity”

It’s pretty clear to me that Apple’s eye is on that prize of 1.5 billion subscribers. Although this particular quote was taken from an event whose theme was music-centric, the bigger picture entails providing this 1.5 billion subscriber base with a comprehensive, easy to use Real-Time Platform. One that will provide mobile users with the widest choice of digital devices to choose from that will intercommunicate with systems found in Telematics, IP/TV ready televisions and so forth. A platform in tune with over-the-air anytime-anywhere iService platforms delivered by such channels as Boeings Connexion iService. And this is where being compliant with the global ITRON project comes into play. This in the end delivers on the very origins of the ITRON vision of a Ubiquitous Society.

To be honest, I’m not all that sure that the “Ubiquitous Society” theme translates all that well in North America. Yet perhaps you may be more familiar with the “Always On” theme that is gaining momentum in North America. It’s the same thing! But no matter what you call it – it’s about to land on our heads sometime in the near future and will ignite the next wave of the internet – in style and with legendary ease-of-use that only Apple could deliver!

Next Wave of the Internet Series
Part 11: “Apple and IBM: Rethink the PowerPC Revolution”

Part 10: “Suddenly! The Next Wave of the Broadband Wars”

Part 9: The Next Wave: Apple Patent Reveals QuickTime TV: What the Other Sites Missed

Part 8: A Closer Peek at Sony’s CELL Patent: What’s missing here?

Part 7: The Next Wave: Apple’s Connection to the CELL Processor

Part 6: Next Wave: Motorola, MeshNetworks and In-Car iServices

Part 5: OS X Tiger’s QuickTime Could Reach More than 3 Billion Users a Day!

Part 4: Apple’s QuickTime Leaps to the Silver Screen and Beyond

Part 3: Tiger Revving-up QuickTime TV Live-Network

Part 2: On the Road to iPod-Live! In 2005

Part 1: Apple’s Next Wave of the Internet: Darwin’s leap to MAN

The Next Wave of the Internet Series
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