Pixo
{{Short description|Handheld electronic device operating system software development}}
{{about||the Nissan automobile|Nissan Pixo}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Pixo
| logo = File:Pixo logo.svg
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| fate = Acquired by Sun Microsystems
| predecessor =
| successor = Sun Microsystems
| foundation = {{Start date|1994}}
| founder = Paul Mercer
| defunct = {{End date|2003}}
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| industry = Mobile software
| products = Pixo OS
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Pixo was a company that developed infrastructure for hand-held devices. It was founded in 1994 when Paul Mercer, a software developer at Apple, left to form his own company.{{Citation
| last = Markoff
| first = John
| title = He Helped Build the iPod; Now He Has Built a Rival
| newspaper = The New York Times
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/27/technology/27mercer.html?ei=5088&en=7ca4508916893a7f&ex=1298696400&pagewanted=all
| accessdate = 4 January 2011
| date=27 February 2006
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150705231554/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/27/technology/27mercer.html?ei=5088&en=7ca4508916893a7f&ex=1298696400&pagewanted=all&_r=0
| archivedate = 2015-07-05
| url-status=live}} The company developed a system software toolkit in C++{{Citation
| last = Stroustrup
| first = Bjarne
| author-link = Bjarne Stroustrup
| title = C++ Applications
| url = http://www.stroustrup.com/applications.html
| accessdate = 26 August 2012 }} for use on cell phones and other hand-held devices. Pixo was acquired by Sun Microsystems in 2003, and Sun was in turn acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2010.
Pixo OS and use in Apple's iPod
In 2001, Pixo was rehired by Apple to adapt their system software for use in the iPod.{{Citation
| last = Yi
| first = Matthew
| title = Little-known startup was behind iPod's easy-to-use interface
| newspaper = San Francisco Chronicle
| url = http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Little-known-startup-was-behind-iPod-s-2733248.php
| accessdate = November 10, 2012
| date=16 August 2004}} The use of the Pixo OS in the iPod was never formally announced, although the first-generation iPod's "About iPod" display includes a mention of Pixo, and a Connectix biography of their VP of engineering Mike Neil mentions his role as "lead architect on the Pixo OS that is used in ... the Apple iPod".{{cite web |url=http://www.connectix.com/about/bios.html |title=About Connectix |accessdate=2008-02-29 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030806065941/http://www.connectix.com/about/bios.html |archivedate=August 6, 2003 }} Apple acquired the Pixo OS shortly after shipping the iPod{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} and removed mention of Pixo from the "About iPod" display with a firmware update to the first-generation iPod.
On April 9, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the shipment of its 100 millionth iPod,
{{Citation
|title = 100 Million iPods Sold
|url = https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/09ipod.html
|accessdate = 4 January 2011
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070416004418/http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/04/09ipod.html
|archivedate = 16 April 2007
}} making the Pixo OS one of the most widely used embedded operating systems.
With the 2014 discontinuation of the iPod Classic{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/ipod-classic-retired-fans-mourn-as-apple-quietly-kills-off-iconic-gadget-9724939.html |title= iPod Classic retired: Fans mourn as Apple quietly kills off its most iconic gadget |work= The Independent |date= 11 September 2014 |accessdate= 11 September 2014 }}
and the 2017 discontinuation of the iPod Nano,{{cite news|title=Apple removes iPod nano and shuffle from website hinting at discontinuation|url=https://9to5mac.com/2017/07/27/apple-removes-ipod-shuffle-nano-sale-discontinue/|accessdate=27 July 2017|work=9to5Mac|date=27 July 2017}} which did not run
iOS,{{cite web |publisher= Ars Technica |url= https://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/01/6g-ipod-nano-hack-just-beginning-of-long-road-to-nano-apps/ |title= 6G iPod nano hack just beginning of long road to nano apps |date= 3 January 2011 |accessdate= 2012-09-13 }} Apple no longer sells a Pixo-based iPod.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.pixo.com |date=* |title=Pixo.com website }}
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010815050140/http://pixo.com/products/products001.htm |date=August 15, 2001 |title=Capabilities and features of the Pixo OS Platform 2.1 }}
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070117072326/http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/2003-07/sunflash.20030717.1.xml |date=January 17, 2007 |title=Sun Press Release announcing completion of acquisition }}
- [http://www.designinginteractions.com/interviews/PaulMercer Bill Mogridge video interview of Paul Mercers involvement in the design of the iPod]
{{Sun Microsystems}}
Category:Sun Microsystems acquisitions
Category:Software companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Software companies established in 1994
Category:Software companies disestablished in 2003
Category:1994 establishments in California
Category:2003 disestablishments in California
Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area