Today, at Citrix Synergy, the conference where cloud computing, networking and virtualization meet, Citrix announced a new “Citrix HDX Ready System-on-Chip (SoC)” initiative, designed to enable an entirely new generation of devices to deliver high-definition virtual apps and desktops at an unprecedented low cost using the company’s market-leading HDX technology. By incorporating Citrix HDX technology directly into silicon, the new program will expand the market for virtual apps and desktops beyond traditional computing devices like PCs, tablets and smartphones. For the first time ever, non-traditional devices like network monitors, phones, smart keyboards, consumer set-top boxes, shop floor equipment, kiosks and hospital workstations-on-wheels will be able to display virtual apps and desktops directly, without the need for an a full PC at the endpoint.

Unlike alternative approaches, this is not just a protocol accelerator that gets added to existing devices. It is, in fact, a full computing system – including Citrix HDX technology – delivered as a single chip to device manufacturers. As a result, the program is expected to dramatically reduce the cost of high-definition zero clients, ultimately breaking the sub-$100 price point. The first devices using the new HDX System-on-a-Chip technology are expected to hit the market in early 2012.

Lighting Up an Entirely New Class of Devices

The market for traditional computing devices like PCs, tablets and smartphones is growing rapidly worldwide, fueling an increased demand for solutions like Citrix XenDesktop and Citrix XenApp to deliver business apps and desktops as a cloud-like service to any device, in any location. Citrix Receiver, the company’s universal software client, makes it easy for end users to receive business apps, desktops and data, and is now available on more than one billion different devices – a number that grows ever day.

While the market for traditional computing devices will continue to expand rapidly, the Cloud Era is giving rise to the need for easy access to business apps and data from a far wider range of devices, locations and use cases – in the office, in the home, on the road, and in non-office work environments like factories, hospitals and field services. With the new HDX Ready System-on-Chip initiative, Citrix will enable a new class of device manufactures to tap into the vast array of business apps and data companies use today, increasing employee productivity, while reducing the cost of delivery.

Designed for Flexibility and Extensibility

Citrix worked closely with key partners like Texas Instruments and NComputing to design a highly flexible HDX SoC reference architecture that is based on industry standard, and leverages off-the-shelf components. In addition to powerful, hardware-assisted HDX optimizations, the SoC reference implementations will feature a flexible design that can be updated as Citrix advances its HDX technology, and as hardware vendors update their products. It is currently designed for ARM-based chipsets, and will be expanding in the future to support x86 based systems.