TOKYO, July 8: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd said on Wednesday that it and Microsoft Corp had signed an agreement to formalise their cooperation on developing products that combine audio-visual and personal computer technologies. The two companies will join hands to develop digital TV technology for next-generation PCs, including support for the reception and display of TV broadcast signals and associated interactive programmes, Matsushita said in a statement.Matsushita said it planned to start selling analogue Web TVsets in Japan in the winter of 1998.
Matsushita and Microsoft will also collaborate in the development of advanced digital cable set-top boxes for public network and retail customers, Matsushita said.
The two firms will create a corporate licensing policy that provides Matsushita with the option of using the US company's Windows CE operating system in Matsushita's future products, including AV and PC devices, Matsushita said.
Matsushita is a third Japanese company to announce apactwith Microsoft for the development of home multimedia products using the Windows CE operating system. Sony Corp has said it plans to launch set-top boxes for interactive cable TV compatible with Microsoft's Windows CE as early as in 1999.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
