Wacom introduces WILL - the Wacom Ink Layer Language as a Leading Standard in Digital Inking Technology

TOKYO, Japan and VANCOUVER, Wash., Feb. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Human thoughts and expressions cannot always be captured by typing pre-determined signs and symbols from a keyboard. A handwritten memo or drawing (either digital or physical) is still the most natural way of capturing and expressing ideas. Today's smartphones and tablets are starting to support note-taking and digital inking. However, they are still limited by OS, application platform and hardware boundaries. What we need is a universal and open standard for digital inking which will allow users to work across OS, hardware platforms and Cloud services. WILL is the initiative to create a seamless digital inking experience across every mobile device and ecosystem.

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Wacom has been a leading supplier of pen tablets and interactive pen displays. Wacom has contributed to the evolution of creative: digital expressions, digital imaging, industrial design, games and movies. Creative professionals across the world are exploring and pioneering new horizons in digital expression. Wacom's pen technology also enables smartphones and tablets to offer unique pen features for ideation and note-taking in a mobile environment.

WILL is a logical step for Wacom to expand its commitment for creativity from the realm of digital expression to creative ideation.

WILL offers a new universal standard that creates a natural and high quality ink experience. It guarantees cross compatibility of ink data that enables users to freely communicate and collaborate across hardware, ecosystems, as well as the Cloud. WILL will bring digital inking to people as the most powerful tool of personal creativity and expression.

Technological Background

WILL is delivered by Wacom to partners as a Software Developer's Kit (SDK) to integrate into their hardware or software, ecosystem or enterprise infrastructure – enabling everyone to speak the same universal inking language. WILL will also come with an ink engine with a variety of graphical tools and features that will run consistently on most existing platforms. Its innovative ink data format is an abstract language that describes strokes independent from any particular input technology. WILL contains a set of development Application Programming Interfaces (API), to make use of hardware features. This, in particular, is one of the strengths that Wacom has developed over 20 years in pen input technology.

WILL: Open for Partnership

Being a high level referential framework - a computer language - WILL is open to different input technologies including finger touch, various Wacom pens, as well as third-party pen technologies. Upcoming Wacom technologies will also include WILL support as an integral part of their feature set.

Wacom has a long history of collaboration with a broad range of industry partners to deliver best in class solutions for business users and consumers alike.

Wacom invites hardware manufacturers, software and service providers, as well as system solution providers; to join the initiative and help their users benefit within the broad range of applications that they provide.

In addition to individual note taking, idea sharing and group collaboration; WILL could be used to create an unlimited canvas space for global brainstorming, collaboration and project management.

As WILL will allow the integrating of metadata, one could also include a security certificate in a solution as well as enhanced ink-based workflow solutions on mobile platforms. Consumers will be able to share and memo on their travel diary, sign POs, integrate pictures and also show their location in mapping applications and services.

Future Outlook

WILL is the proof of Wacom's commitment for human creativity. It will lead the evolution of IT tools toward digital stationery and everyday creative tools (paper, pens, ink and paint tools) with the power of digital technology. Based on Wacom's inking experience and long history of business partnerships in broad areas, it will drive the evolution of digital inking standards. Wacom strongly believes that drawing and writing with a pen on a mobile device will become a natural behavior in the future. WILL will bring human creativity to the hands of people in the digital age, allowing us to create and shape the ideas that make the world a more creative place.

About Wacom

Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange 6727) with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries. Wacom's vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world's leading manufacturer of interactive pen tablets and displays as well as of digital styli and solutions for saving and processing digital signatures. The advanced technology of Wacom's intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with their leading interface technology to express their personality.

Millions of people worldwide use the wireless and battery free pressure sensitive digital pen technology to operate their smartphones, media tablets or desktop computers and express their individual creativity. The company offers its products also as OEM solutions to leading manufacturers serving incremental markets. Wacom's interface technology, called Wacom feel IT technologies, is also offered as an integrated solution to strategic partners. Most Tablet PC manufacturers count on the advanced features and reliability of the brand to deliver a superior user interface experience.

For further information about the products of Wacom see also www.wacom.com

For media requests please contact:

Wacom Co., Ltd.

Stefan Kirmse

[e-mail]

More information:

will.wacom.com

SOURCE Wacom Technology Services, Corp.

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