STRATEGIC PARTNERS
March 6, 2002
REDMOND, Wash. -- Microsoft Corp. announced that, six months after its initial announcement, Smart Card for Windows is receiving strong support from the smart card industry. Citing initial customer pilot programs and the number of card manufacturers, systems integrators and software developers that are supporting the platform, Philippe Goetschel, director of Smart Card for Windows, summarized the progress to date as "meeting and even exceeding our own expectations."
In a keynote address at the CardTech/SecurTech conference in Chicago, Goetschel outlined key milestones for Smart Card for Windows, including the delivery of a prebeta "preview " release of the operating system and tools as part of a two-day Developers' Workshop at the conference. He indicated that a broad beta release of the first version of Smart Card for Windows would be available within 60 days.
Goetschel reviewed several pilot projects, including corporate IT (Merrill Lynch & Company Inc.), medical (Department of Veterans Affairs) and loyalty (Florida State University, ARCO) programs. He also recognized several key smart card industry technology leaders that are demonstrating their own value-added solutions using Smart Card for Windows as a platform.
Goetschel said that while Smart Card for Windows will have broad applicability, Microsoft's initial focus will be on three market categories: corporate IT (secure log-on); medical; and travel and entertainment (including loyalty applications).
