Microsoft Acquires Express Logic to Push IoT Efforts

IoT is big business. With so many companies vying to breach this new world, there’s a very real chance that some major companies will be left behind in the rush to supply the public with devices.

Google and Amazon have already made their stakes, with Google Home and Amazon Alexa being smash-hits around the world. Microsoft, however, has been a little quieter in the IoT world.

Last time we checked on them they were producing IoT solutions for businesses. They were also reworking their Xbox Kinect accessory as a new tool to power IoT computing. Now Microsoft has made another step into this bold new world by purchasing the company Express Logic.

Why Express Logic?

You may not have heard of Express Logic before, but their influence within the IoT world is definitely noteworthy. Since 1996 they’ve been designing real-time operating systems (RTOS) that can fit on tiny chips. This naturally lends itself well to IoT devices, which require little processors to work.

One of their best RTOSes is called ThreadX. You may not have heard of this, but there’s a high chance you’ve used it; it’s been put to use in 6.2 billion devices and can be found in processors made by large companies like Intel and ARM.

What the Acquisition Means for Microsoft

Microsoft is pushing Azure into the IoT world in order to get a foothold with the other technological giants. In order to do this it needs major backing from a company that has a lot of experience making processors for devices.

With Microsoft buying up Express Logic, they now have unfettered access to their tech. As such, they’ll probably use the leverage of ThreadX to implement Azure functionalities into processors. That way, devices will be more compatible with Microsoft Azure, meaning Microsoft can spread their net into the IoT world.

Remember those 6.2 billion devices that currently run ThreadX? What if all of those had Microsoft Azure capabilities that allowed them to talk to one another with little effort from developers or users? This is what Microsoft hopes to achieve with this acquisition, by casting a wider net than its competitors. In the IoT race the company that works their way into public use the most will become the victors.

What Does Microsoft Have Planned with Express Logic?

Nothing has been really confirmed as to how Microsoft will use Express Logic, other than it’ll use Azure integration. Given that Microsoft has had great success in the business sector, we’ll definitely see this new tech in use by industries around the world. Whether or not Microsoft will take the leap into consumer IoT using Express Logic, however, is yet to be seen.

Making The Jump into IoT

With Microsoft fighting for their spot in the IoT world, their move to purchase Express Logic is a powerful one. With this acquisition comes the potential to make Microsoft Azure IoT a mighty force within the IoT world. What they do with this power is yet to be seen.

Do you think this acquisition is a major step for getting Microsoft on the radar? Let us know below.