Qualcomm opens up BREW operating system

Qualcomm is opening up its Brew Mobile Platform (Brew MP) operating system with a range of new and revamped support offerings for OEMs and developers. In a separate announcement, AT&T said it will launch Brew MP-based devices later this year as the operator continually seeks to deliver highly engaging mobile user experiences across its entire lineup.

BREW provided all the requirements for a handset, which was good for Tier 2 handset and equiment developers, but was proprietary to Qualcomm.Brew MP is a mobile operating system that delivers high-end features across all 3G technologies and virtually all market tiers of mobile devices, including the emerging low-cost smartphone category and other data-rich feature phones, including AT&T’s quick messaging devices. The Brew MP operating system is backwards compatible with past Brew versions, enabling instant access to the thousands of existing Brew applications.
“Brew MP, as a native and fully realized mobile OS, boasts new APIs that give developers the ability to directly access ASIC hardware for optimal application performance functionality, while abstracting the various chipset hardware interfaces for software reuse and easier chipset handset migration,” said Cristiano Amon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “Although Brew MP functions well on all tiers of devices, Brew MP will help drive the emerging low-cost smartphone category, giving operators and developers the ability to differentiate services and monetize their most innovative ideas in the mass consumer market globally.”
Brew MP’s flexibility, openness and operator focus, combined with its ability to be integrated with virtually any mobile content delivery system, make it the best choice for mass-market devices. In anticipation of devices with Brew MP coming to market later in 2010, Qualcomm is making a significant investment in a host of new tools and services that will benefit both new and established application publishers and developers. In early 2010, Qualcomm will unveil its revamped online resources, leveraging the best elements of its current support site, while making major improvements based on Brew MP developer feedback. In addition, Qualcomm will be standardizing Brew MP application testing and it has significantly lowered testing costs to better support developers’ business and technical needs as they compete in today’s highly dynamic mobile content market. To access the AT&T and Brew MP tools today for developers interested in creating Brew MP applications for AT&T’s coming Brew MP devices, visit developer.att.com/sdk.
“The market launch of Brew MP as a mass-market mobile OS is a significant milestone for Qualcomm and the Brew MP developer community,” said Jason Kenagy, vice president of Brew MP product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “Our dedicated developer ecosystem team has been working on all aspects of developer support. In addition to new Brew MP tools, including a multi-platform SDK, we will be improving online access to key support features while continuing to provide direct account support for key publishers and developers.”
Qualcomm anticipates commercial Brew MP-based devices to be available in the U.S. and key international markets by the late summer of 2010, with volume availability in the fall prior to the holiday buying season.
“Our quick messaging device users have been underserved in terms of the quality and quantity of apps available to them. Using Brew MP will dramatically increase app development for this segment,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets.