MediaTek have today announced CrossMount, a new technology designed to simplify and standardize the sharing of hardware and software between different devices. The CrossMount framework is an open, simple to implement technology for the MediaTek ecosystem, which will allow compatible devices to seamlessly share and use resources on other devices when authorized by the user. For example, using CrossMount, a consumer can mix and match the use of various devices around them. A user may pair their TV sound to their smartphone earbuds, or use the smartphone as a voice controller microphone for their smart TV. A television and smartphone may be used as a video conferencing set up. The CrossMount standard will bring about unprecedented levels of cooperation between a collection of quite different devices using WiFi: it is far more than simply sharing content from one device onto another!
In the detail, CrossMount’s mounting standard is based on the UPnP protocol. It can be implemented in Android, Linux but will be supported by other platforms. MediaTek have given CrossMount a simple discovery, pairing and authorization process. As I wrote above, it may be used to share hardware and software resource over WiFi either via a home gateway (a wireless LAN) or a peer to peer connection (WiFi Direct) connections. WiFi devices are able to share resources without involving a cloud server and the system is capable of sharing several devices’ resources. MediaTek sees CrossMount as being useful in and around the home entertainment, business and education markets. Joe Chen, Senior Vice President, MediaTek, said this on the matter: “We are particularly keen to open up this innovation to our wide ecosystem of customers and partners around the world, unleashing their imagination to create new immersive experiences that further enrich peoples’ lives.”
To encourage customers to use the CrossMount Standard, MediaTek are establishing the CrossMount Alliance and opening up the system to developers. Chang-hong, Hi-Sense, Lenovo and TCL are the first MediaTek customers to support CrossMount technology. The technology will be available for these manufacturers by the third quarter 2015 and MediaTek expects to see the first Android smartphones, tablets and TV products shipping with CrossMount before the end of the year.