Intel is leading an initiative that would encourage developers to sell applications for netbooks, PCs and other devices powered by its chips. The world’s biggest chipmaker Tuesday told its annual developer forum in San Francisco that it was creating a platform based on an App Store framework for devices running on its Atom low-power microprocessor. Apple’s App Store, which allows users to shop for applications that personalize their iPhones, has been very successful. In a keynote speech, Paul Otellini, Intel chief executive, announced support from Acer, Asus and Dell, which are launching their own App Stores, Asus already has its own version, based on Intel’s framework. He said he expected consumers to buy apps to personalize their netbooks and said the concept would be extended to desktop PCs and to smaller devices. Intel is battling to be the microprocessor provider of choice in netbooks and mobile internet devices and sees software as the key to winning market share from makers of processors based on Arm’s chip designs. Mr Otellini said Intel’s goal was for developers to be able to write a program once and have it run on any device based on Intel’s architecture. Intel will provide tools for developers to build on the Atom platform for both Windows and Intel’s new Moblin Linux-based operating system. Microsoft has long opposed the free Linux operating system, but Mr Otellini announced Microsoft’s Silverlight software framework for Web-based applications would support both Windows and Moblin under its initiative. Silverlight competes with Adobe’s Air framework. “They want Silverlight to be successful, so they are being pragmatic [in supporting Linux],” Mr Otellini told reporters before his speech. More than 65,000 applications are available for the iPhone, representing a shift in the way software is sold. The concept has been copied by all the main providers of operating systems for cellphones. With the backing of Intel and key manufacturers, the new App Stores are likely to be similarly disruptive in the PC software world. Mr Otellini told reporters that there was a shift taking place from traditional packaged software to “viral apps” delivered online.
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