Oracle enters embedded systems market

NEW DELHI: Oracle has entered the embedded systems market in Asia Pacific and Japan by launching an embedded business unit (EBU) for this region, including India.





The Oracle EBU plans to establish licensing agreements with independent software vendors (ISVs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), allowing them to integrate Oracle software directly into end-user devices such as handsets, home appliances and automobiles.





Oracle Corporation Asia Pacific embedded technologies VP Mark Barton said, "With this, we plan to move beyond the enterprise systems where we've traditionally been, and make a serious move into data management for consumer devices. For FY2005, Oracle's embedded systems revenues grew 60 percent worldwide, and more than 200 percent in APAC. Going forward, we are very bullish about this market in APAC."





The company sees India as a potential market for embedded systems. Historically, India has been a good exporter of embedded systems but not a user and the company would also work on creating a market for itself.





The embedded systems industry is worth approximately $25 billion worldwide with high demand expected from North Asia and India. Oracle's embedded strategy for APAC includes setting up a dedicated task force across the APAC region and in key markets. The target markets for Oracle EBU include 3G, in-the-home, in-the-vehicle and telecom.





Oracle plans to embed its entire range of products including Database, Application Service, Business Applications, etc. In a bid to extend its embedded database product line, the company had recently acquired Sleepycat, the company behind the open source Berkeley DB, which is an embedded database system.





Barton also announced the setting up of innovation labs in China, Japan, Korea, India and Singapore to drive development and testing of its embedded systems. "The labs will help us work with partners to provide benchmark, best practices, etc. They will enjoy close development links with Oracle R&D centers in the US and will reside in existing Oracle development centers in those countries."





Speaking on the occasion, Oracle India EBU India and South Asia sales head Surekha Deshpande said, "We feel that it is the right time to enter India as the country is expected to see rapid growth in 3G, RFID, telecom and telematics. We want to take advantage of this opportunity and grow further in India."