As the avid talk about the Internet of Things only becomes louder with each new investment and technological innovation, Taiwan's electronics giant, Hon Hai Precision Industry, joined the din this week with the announcement of a major partnership with Taiwanese design firm Gixia Group.
The new arrangement is underpinned by a NT$250-million ($7.9-million) investment from Hon Hai to fund the formation of a new technology company, Square X, that will be developed from the ground up by Gixia.
The design consultancy's founder, Jung-Ya Hsieh, who is also a renowned inventor, expressed his pleasure regarding the deal, as he is well-aware that he will be dealing with the world's largest contract manufacturer. The designer told reporters that he is looking forward to the benefits of entering into a development agreement with a business entity that can provide support that includes manufacturing and operating systems, cloud services and content.
However, the growth news does not end there for Hsieh, as his design company will also be the recipient of a NT$50-million ($1.5-million) investment from semiconductor and electronic optics company Hermes-Epitek and LED and backlight module maker Epoch, both of which are based in Taiwan.
The Hermes-Epoch deal involves the development of a new brand called "That!," which will create innovative technology devices for the kitchen. A hi-tech butter knife and a non-electrical thaw board are two of the products that are already slated for That!
Hsieh explained that Gixia's foremost concern is the development of "wall economics," which refers to the design of home electronic appliances so that they can be mounted onto walls, thereby reducing floor clutter.
In light of the overriding trend in technology at present, it seems highly likely that Gixia will then use technology to integrate the products of both Square X and That! into the wireless/smart-device network.