News

Java SE 8 Available for MIPS

• By John K. Waters
• May 26, 2015

Imagination Technologies has made the latest version of Java SE 8 available for its MIPS CPU architecture, the company announced. The new support is the result of an ongoing collaboration between Imagination and Oracle, which aims to enhance Java for embedded and Internet of Things (IoT) applications and optimize Java for MIPS CPUs, the company said.

UK-based Imagination is a maker of silicon intellectual property (IP) products and software, including the processing blocks needed to create the Systems on Chips (SoCs) that power mobile, consumer and embedded electronics. The company licenses its products to semiconductor manufacturers, network operators and OEMs/ODMs. The company is best known as the maker of the PowerVR mobile graphics process, which is used in many Apple mobile devices. ARM currently dominates the SoC market.

Java support for the RISC-based architecture of MIPS CPUs will make it possible for developers to use the language and platform to create applications for MIPS-based devices, such as routers, wireless access points, residential gateways, next-generation consumer premises equipment (CPE) and mobile devices, among others.

"The MIPS architecture is widely used in networking, embedded, and other key markets," said Georges Saab, vice president development, Java Platform at Oracle, in a statement. "Java support for MIPS will enable application development on the many MIPS-based devices ... that are out there in the market, and will play a key role for emerging and future devices."

Imagination plans to feature the new software integration at its upcoming Imagination Summit Silicon Valley on May 21 in Santa Clara, Calif. The theme of the event is "Securing the Future."