The IMS Company extends long-term relationship with American Airlines as the systems integrator for the Samsung Galaxy Tab devices
Ultra-thin tablet replaces the now five-year-old workhorse PED that American and IMS launched as IFE’s first ‘semi-embedded’ portable entertainment device
| Brea, CA | 9-13-11 | — In choosing to deploy 6,000 new Samsung Galaxy Tab™10.1 tablets to replace the current personal entertainment devices (PEDs) in premium cabins on transatlantic and some international flights, American Airlines also chose to continue its long-term relationship with The IMS Company, naming the Southern California-based solutions provider as the systems integrator responsible for the repurposing and integration of the world’s thinnest large screen tablet into the inflight environment. American is the first North American airline to offer a branded tablet onboard its aircraft for inflight entertainment purposes.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1, that combines the Android platform; ultra-slim, lightweight design; a brilliant 10-inch touchscreen; and an array of applications, replaces the now five-year-old PEDs that the airline and The IMS Company pioneered as inflight entertainment’s first "semi-embedded" portable media player. The clamshell design of the Fujitsu-based device opened to slide into a seatback shell where the device connected to in-seat power, or could be removed and held on the passenger’s lap or tray table.
"American was the first airline customer for our very first portable media player in 2006," said IMS’ CEO and founder Joseph Renton, "and we continued the relationship with the 10.6-inch „semi-embedded’ PED, followed by three versions of the ARCHOS portable media player. In addition, IMS has provided American with software development services and a range of content management, content acquisition and content loading services.
"We are very pleased that when the time came to replace these remarkably sturdy five-year old players that American did not hesitate to continue that partnership," said Renton.
"IMS’ focus in repurposing the Samsung Galaxy Tab for the inflight entertainment market was the Android OS (operating system)," said Renton. "In consideration of the increasing importance of the operating systems that support these devices, we have moved toward platform integration rather than device integration as the basis for our handheld service offerings."
About The IMS Company: Founded in 1996, The IMS Company is an entertainment and communications solutions provider in the travel industry, and a systems and software solutions provider to the air transport, aerospace and government markets.
IMS Entertainment provides commercial airlines with embedded and portable entertainment systems, wireless communications solutions, and content management services.
IMS Engineering provides engineering services, software development, information architecture, workflow and cloud computing.
IMS Flight Deck produces Electronic Flight Bags and associated software applications for use on commercial and regional aircraft, and by individual pilots.
In 2007, 2008 and 2009, The IMS Company was named among the fastest-growing privately-held companies in technology-heavy Orange County California by the Orange County Business Journal
IMS Press Contact : Harry Gray, vice president sales & marketing hgray@imsco-us.com or Michael Childers mchilders@imsco-us.com. During APEX call on us at Booth 1210.