Spyglass Inc. said Tuesday Sony Corp. will license its Spyglass Internet software for use in upcoming appliances, including advanced digital set-top devices.
The agreement calls for Sony to use Spyglass Device Mosaic, an embedded Web browser, and Spyglass ThinGUI Library, a small footprint graphics library.
The Naperville, Ill.-based solutions provider cited a report from market researchers International Data Corp. that predicted the global market for information appliances will surge to 55.7 million annual unit shipments in 2002, a 76 percent annual growth rate from 1998-2002. Much of that increase will come from NetTV, gaming devices and smart handheld products, according to IDC and in 2001 IDC estimates there will be close to 11.5 million NetTV products shipped annually.
Spyglass also cited potential growth factors in broadband Internet access through digital cable. The emerging technology offers user features such as the ability to create Web browsing applications such as electronic programming guides (EPGs), video-on-demand services, pay-per-view, e-commerce, and additional revenue-generating services.
“Sony leads the way in the technical convergence of audio, video, computing and communications,” said Randy Littleson, Spyglass vice president and general manager.
“Their expertise in digital consumer electronics and powerful retail brand, complement our power to provide quality Internet solutions to the world’s leading device manufacturers. Expertise from both companies will be extremely vital in the development of the next generation of information appliances,” Littleson said.