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• July 15, 2002 •
Microsoft today announced the official name for its next-generation digital media platform, Windows Media™ 9 Series, formerly code-named Windows Media "Corona". Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates will launch the public beta release of the entire Windows Media 9 Series platform in Los Angeles at the Hollywood and Highlands Complex on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
The software suite will include new versions of Windows Media Player, Windows Media Audio and Video codecs, Windows Media Encoder, and a new Windows Media software development kit (SDK).
"Digital media has the potential to redefine the possibilities for new experiences and services over the Internet, in the living room and in companies around the world," said Will Poole, vice president of the Windows® Digital Media Division at Microsoft. "Windows Media 9 Series is designed to deliver the major step forward in functionality and performance the industry needs to realize this potential."
Windows Media 9 Series will power the next wave of digital media, delivering an instant-on, always-on streaming experience to broadband PC users and dramatic quality, speed and experience improvements for dial-up users. New professional-level audio and video codecs will provide unsurpassed quality at all bit rates and enable home-theater quality audio and video for broadband PC users. New efficiency will make it commonplace for enterprises to use streaming to improve their organizations' corporate communications and training. Windows Media 9 Series also will improve the economics of streaming for Internet content providers, and empower application developers and IT professionals to customize digital media solutions with a platform offering dramatic extensibility innovations. The public beta versions of Windows Media 9 Series components will be available Sept. 4.
