Hitachi, Ltd. today announced that it will join
the Multi-Application Operating System (MULTOS) consortium
called MAOSCO as a leading member of eight leading
smartcard companies to introduce a common operating system
for emerging multi-application requirements.
"Hitachi welcomes the announcement that Mondex International is forming a consortium to promote a common operating system for banking, retail, telecommunications, Internet and other applications," said Asahiko Isobe, senior-executive managing director of Hitachi, Ltd.,
"We have been playing a major role in establishing the consortium from the very beginning based on our wide range of expertise in semiconductor devices and information systems, and have supplied silicon platforms for trials in a number of countries."
For the new operating system, MULTOS, Hitachi will again be supplying silicon platforms, and a number of other products and systems currently being developed and tested, as well as
services. These include reader/writers for PCs with RS232
C, PCMCIA and floppy disk interfaces, terminals for value transfer applicable to all types of retail outlet, including
on the Internet, electronic wallets, sleeves
and key fob readers. Hitachi is planning to release products incorporating MULTOS, from the first quarter of 1998, starting with microprocessors for smartcards.
Significantly, Hitachi, Ltd. is a "total system" supplier able to provide networks with servers, personal computers and necessary software products, which could be a great help
for users in all areas of industry. Working systems are
being used in international trials, and the U.S.A. ,Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong are expected to move to implement multi-applications soon. Hitachi will play
an important role by integrating these products into the Mondex system.
Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is the
world's leading global electronics company, with fiscal 1995 consolidated sales (ending March 31, 1996)
of 76.6 billion dollars. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment.
Notes to Editors:
For Mondex, Hitachi developed the high-security smart card device that is at the very heart of the system, together with a range of products suitable for use at he personal, retail and banking infrastructure level.
Hitachi is a " Total Mondex System" supplier. For
more details, see Hitachi's Mondex Products Web Site at http://www.hitachi.co.jp/Div/nfs/index-E.html
Business Contact:
New Financial Systems, Services & Products Division
Phone: +81-3-3763-3366
Fax: +81-3-5471-2586
Trademarks
Mondex and MULTOS are registered trademarks of Mondex International Limited.
WRITTEN BY Secretary's Office
All Rights Reserved,
Copyright (C)
1998, Hitachi, Ltd.
