Pixo
IndustryMobile software
Founded1994 (1994)
FounderPaul Mercer
Defunct2003 (2003)
FateAcquired
SuccessorSun Microsystems
ProductsPixo OS

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.[1] The company developed a system software toolkit in C++[2] 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.[1]

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.[3] 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".[4] Apple acquired the Pixo OS shortly after shipping the iPod 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,[5] making the Pixo OS one of the most widely used embedded operating systems.

With the 2014 discontinuation of the iPod Classic[6] and the 2017 discontinuation of the iPod Nano,[7] which did not run iOS,[8] Apple no longer sells a Pixo-based iPod.

References

  1. 1 2 Markoff, John (27 February 2006), "He Helped Build the iPod; Now He Has Built a Rival", The New York Times, archived from the original on 2015-07-05, retrieved 4 January 2011
  2. ↑ Stroustrup, Bjarne, C++ Applications, retrieved 26 August 2012
  3. ↑ Yi, Matthew (16 August 2004), "Little-known startup was behind iPod's easy-to-use interface", San Francisco Chronicle, retrieved November 10, 2012
  4. ↑ "About Connectix". Archived from the original on August 6, 2003. Retrieved 2008-02-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ 100 Million iPods Sold, archived from the original on 16 April 2007, retrieved 4 January 2011
  6. ↑ "iPod Classic retired: Fans mourn as Apple quietly kills off its most iconic gadget". The Independent. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Apple removes iPod nano and shuffle from website hinting at discontinuation". 9to5Mac. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "6G iPod nano hack just beginning of long road to nano apps". Ars Technica. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
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