ARM said Tuesday that it would set up a joint venture with Gemalto, plus Giesecke & Devrient to develop secure software that could be used for mobile devices.
The new, unnamed joint venture will tap into the TrustZone architecture used by chips like the ARM Cortex-A series of embedded microprocessors found in many smartphones. Giesecke & Devrient developed the MobiCore trusted environment.
The combination will allow third-party application providers to develop trusted apps that will be able to tap into both, to secure data as it moves from mobile device to mobile device. The third partner, Gemalto, is one of the leaders in the smart-card industry.
Specifically, the JV will develop a Trusted Execution Environment or TEE, based on TrustZone. It will marry the on-board security logic with industry-standard interfaces, such as the GlobalPlatform standard, the companies said.
"The integration of the hardware, software and services necessary for system-wide security has been slow," said Warren East, chief executive of ARM, in a statement. "I am confident that this new joint venture will accelerate the adoption of a common security standard, enabling a vibrant ecosystem of secure service providers to emerge. This will be of significant step in terms of improved consumer trust in secure transactions on connected devices."
The move addresses at least one of the advantages that rival Intel has brought to the table. For years, Intel struggled to move its embedded Atom and other processors into the cell phone. But last year, Intel closed its acquisition of McAfee, and the software company has been busy integrating its DeepSAFE technology, first launched at the Intel Developer Forum last year, into Intel chips, providing its own trusted environment. Intel also shocked many with its announcement of Atom-based Medfield phones at the Consumer Electronics Show, proving that Intel had now convinced Lenovo and Motorola, at least, to carry its phones.
"ARM integrates its TrustZone architecture into every ARM Cortex™-A family processor to help our silicon partners deliver the deepest level of security in their hardware," said Ben Cade, CEO of the new venture, in a statement. "The new venture will combine the security operations from three leading organizations. This will provide a trusted software environment capable of utilizing security from the hardware level up, in a consistent, open and accessible manner. This will pave the way for service providers to innovateadvanced, trusted services that will enhance user experiences whilst also reducing risks and improving privacy."
It's unclear whether or not the new joint venture will have any impact on Windows 8 tablets running on ARM, one of the more significant products for Microsoft this year. Last year, ARM announced its "big-little" strategy with the Cortex-A7, the engine behind many sub-$100 smartphones during 2013 and 2014, with the performance of today's $500 smartphones, ARM said.
For more from Mark, follow him on Twitter @MarkHachman.
