If memory serves me correctly, there were 3 company that had recieved early beta prototypes. based on discussions between POET Signapore and clients who had seen and worked with alpha protos and then made recommendations for what they wanted in beta. Their betas were already designed and made with the specific requirements of those customers. Keeping in mind that the POET management has stated that these clients are boutique companies trying to get ahead of the curve.
The next set of betas are genarics that utilize plug and play capabilities so that companies can pick "off the shelf" components that best suit their specific requirements. These betas will need tweeking as new clients pick there base line optical engine and then begin to explore the multiptude of applications that their specific OI engine can revolutionize in their vertical.
The company has taken pains to remind us theat our early customers will be smaller boutique clients that will embrace change to get a leg up in their niche.
Change takes time and step change takes longer!
The qualification of the early prototypes should be almost complete and those optical engines should be tooling up for production by Super Photonics, given that company has told us the first customers will be from China.
The plug and play betas should be in the hands of European players by now, if the latest company news is correct and possibly North America, although the NA players seem to be in wait and see. The addition of the latest board members, the white paper and the European summits however may be our signal that the OI engine has started to find a footing in the rising tide and discussion of the coming photonic integration tsunami.
IMO, of course