据外媒报道，微软与英特尔合作的下一个目标将是物联网，内容将涉及英特尔奔腾级物联网处理器——夸克（Quark）。
是否着重于Windows系统设备或Azure云服务，合作细节尚不清晰，该计划将在旧金山的微软公司公布。
对英特尔来说，与微软进行物联网合作“将是未来支持各类小型设备操作系统的承诺，不仅仅是风河、安卓而已。”
微软同样将挖掘更多物联网微处理器合作伙伴，其Windows RT及Compact 7目前均已支持ARM，为更适用于物联网应用的集成低功耗处理器敞开了大门。
竞争者也将目光投向这一领域。苹果CEO蒂姆·库克谈到改变生活意味着其瞄准消费物联网云服务领域。IBM已经为企业提供物联网云服务，思科预计也将很快推出类似服务。
以下为原文：
The emerging markets in the Internet ofThings are said to be the target of Microsoft's and its veteran partner Intel'snext collaboration, which will involve Intel's Pentium-class IoT processor,Quark.
The specifics of the collaboration arestill unclear—whether the work focuses on embedded versions of Windows, WindowsPhone, or another code base, and whether it includes hosted IoT services usingMicrosoft's Windows Azure cloud service.
Neither Microsoft nor Intel responded torequests for interviews on the topic today. The plan is expected to beannounced at Microsoft Build in San Francisco.
The Wintel duopoly has ruled the PC marketfrom its early high-growth days until the present. Now that PC growth hasleveled off, it makes sense for the two to collaborate on emerging markets inthe IoT.
"Much of their deployed base in theembedded market remains interwoven," Christopher Rommel, an analystcovering the IoT at Venture Development Corp., told us. "It only makessense that they would look to cater to the desires and needs of their existingcustomer base with a joint roadmap and solution for small-footprintdevices." He has not been briefed on any specific product plans from thetwo companies.
For Intel, an IoT partnership withMicrosoft "would be a further demonstration of their commitment to supporta range of operating systems for small-footprint devices – beyond Wind Riverand Android," he said. "For Microsoft, it would serve as a anopportunity to push down to device classes historically served by moretraditional real-time operating systems that CE/Compact couldn't even addresspreviously."
Microsoft is likely to tap othermicroprocessor partners for the IoT. Its Windows RT and Compact 7 already supportARM, opening the door to a smorgasbord of integrated, low-power processors wellsuited for IoT apps.
The company has something of a checkeredhistory in embedded operating systems. It has rolled out several versions ofplatforms based on subsets of its Windows code, but it has often taken heat fornot providing adequate support, especially for real-time features.Nevertheless, it has a significant installed base in embedded systems, a widecommunity of Windows developers, and an opportunity to tie together its devicesoftware with Azure cloud services.
Competitors are eyeing similaropportunities. Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked in vague terms about changing the"user experience" of living in ways that suggest it could be workingon a consumer IoT cloud service. IBM already has an IoT cloud service forbusinesses, and Cisco Systems is expected to launch one soon.
"I don't know how people will react toa version of Windows for IoT," Chad Jones, vice president of productstrategy for Xively, which provides cloud IoT services based on the platform ofits parent company, LogMeIn, told us. "In the end, more companies jumpinginto this market will increase the pie."