DeviceGuru

In another sign of these tumultuous times, Intel announced that it plans to acquire embedded software market leader Wind River for around $884 million. Wind River’s renowned VxWorks real-time operating system (RTOS) is found in myriad consumer gadgets such as LinkSys wireless routers.

Publicly held Wind River currently employs some 1,600 employees and recently reported annual revenues of $360 million.

During the initial onslaught of Linux in the embedded market, Wind River initially fought to resist its allure, but later jumped on the bandwagon with its own “Wind River Linux” offering. The company now offers both VxWorks and embedded Linux products and services, and has enhanced Linux with a hard-real-time add-on that it gained through the acquisition of RTLinux assets from FSM Labs.

“This acquisition will bring us complementary, market-leading software assets and an incredibly talented group of people to help us continue to grow our embedded systems and mobile device capabilities,” said Renee James, Intel VP and GM of the company’s Software and Services Group. “Wind River has thousands of customers in a wide range of markets, and now both companies will be better positioned to meet growth opportunities in these areas.”

“Our combination of strengths will be of great benefit to Wind River’s existing and future customers,” added Ken Klein, Wind River Chairman, president and CEO. “As a wholly owned subsidiary, Wind River will more tightly align its software expertise to Intel’s platforms to speed the pace of progress and software innovation. We remain committed to continuing to provide leading solutions across multiple hardware architectures and delivering the same world-class support to which our customers have grown accustomed.”

Wind River claims its “technology is relied upon by most major computer and networking communications companies, and used by corporations and government agencies such as Alcatel-Lucent, BMW, Boeing, Bombardier Transportation, Mitsubishi, Motorola, NASA, Sony, and [Verizon],” among others.

More about Wind River and its embedded software technologies may be found on its website.