Metrowerks announces embedded systems tools strategy; CodeWarrior for embedded systems to support multiple embedded targets

Business Wire, Sept 17, 1996

SAN JOSE, Calif. and AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1996--Metrowerks(R) Inc. (NASDAQ:MTWKF)(TSE/ME:MWK), the leading provider of software development tools for Macintosh(R), Tuesday announced it's plans to extend support for embedded systems software development.

By introducing a series of new Mac(TM)OS and Windows(R)-hosted development solutions for mainstream embedded microprocessors and real-time operating systems, Metrowerks furthers its commitment to the developers of the embedded systems market.

Until now, Metrowerks' efforts in the embedded tools arena have focused on support for proprietary operating systems such as:

-- PalmOS(TM), in the form of CodeWarrior(R) for Pilot(TM) (development tools for the Pilot organizer from U.S. Robotics(R)),

-- PlayStation(TM)OS in CodeWarrior for PlayStation (development tools for the Sony PlayStation game console),

-- Magic Cap(TM)OS for PDAs (included in CodeWarrior Gold), and

-- Power TV(TM)OS for set-top boxes from Scientific-Atlanta (included in CodeWarrior Gold).

Later this Fall, Metrowerks will introduce a new series of products, entitled CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems, which will allow embedded systems engineers to build applications for generic RTOSes and embedded microprocessors.

"We view this market as an opportunity for significant growth," said David Perkins, senior vice president strategic products of Metrowerks. "Today, embedded systems engineers are in real need of powerful, easy-to-use, commercial development tools that will shorten time-to-market and increase productivity. Metrowerks is able to respond rapidly to this need due to the modular, front-end/back-end architecture of our CodeWarrior development environment."

"In cooperation Apple, Motorola, and Metrowerks are working to bring the power and ease-of-use of the Power Macintosh, to the world of embedded systems development. This, along with our collective experience in transitioning the Macintosh from the 68K microprocessor to the PowerPC microprocessor, uniquely prepares us to meet the needs of customers making the transition from the 68K to the PowerPC for embedded systems development.

"In particular, Metrowerks, with experience in converting over 1 billion lines of code to the PowerPC, brings a highly mature and productive set of tools to this market," said Ellen Hancock, chief technology officer and executive vice president of Research and Development of Apple Computer, Inc.

The first product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will provide support for Motorola(R)'s MPC8xx and is expected to ship in the 4th quarter of calendar 1996, followed by CodeWarrior for Embedded 68k which is expected to ship in the 1st quarter of calendar 1997.

Pursuant to an agreement announced today in a separate release with Microware(R) Systems Corporation, Metrowerks will offer support for Microware(R)'s OS-9(R) real-time operating system running on the MPC8xx.

"As our line of embedded PowerPC processors becomes increasingly popular in the marketplace, our goal is to have the most effective and powerful development tools available to our customers," said Ken Edwards, marketing manager, Motorola's Portable Systems Operation. "With the sophistication and ease-of-use offered through CodeWarrior, Metrowerks is helping us meet that goal today."

"CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems will be a powerful and highly productive environment in which to develop embedded software," said Richard Nabavi, chairman of MicroAPL Ltd., specialists in porting tools for the Macintosh and embedded markets. "At the end of 1996 we will release CodeWarrior-hosted versions of our PortAsm/68K(TM) and PortAsm/86(TM) assembly-language translation tools, so that CodeWarrior users will be able to port embedded CISC assembler code to new RISC processors in the same way that many major Apple developers have done."

"CodeWarrior for OS-9 brings affordable high performance development tools to our customers building the next generation of advanced consumer electronics," said Ken Kaplan, president and chief executive officer of Microware Systems Corp.

In addition to the Power PC(TM) and 68k Embedded tools, Metrowerks will provide support for the MIPS(R) R3000 and R4000 series of microprocessors, in a product expected to ship in the 1st quarter of calendar 1997. CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will also offer support for specific proprietary Digital Signal Processors, or DSPs, with a product expected to ship in 1st quarter of calendar 1997.

Each product in the CodeWarrior for Embedded Systems series will include the award-winning CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment, or IDE, with full-featured GUI tools and C/C source-level debugging support, online documentation, two free updates and technical support. In an effort to provide developers with a choice of platforms from which to work, Metrowerks will be offering both Mac OS and Windows 95/NT versions of the software.

These product offerings will enable embedded systems developers to efficiently build applications for PDAs, smart phones, Web TV(TM), set-top boxes, navigational systems, car area networks, game machines, and other communications and graphic intensive platforms.