Optimizing Portability and Consistency for Application Developers

The Java Platform, Micro Edition (Java ME platform) is the most ubiquitous application platform for mobile devices across the globe. It provides the ability to run applications in a broad range of embedded devices, such as mobile phones, PDAs, TV set-top boxes, and printers. The Java ME platform is deployed on almost a billion devices, supported by leading tool vendors and used by companies worldwide.

 

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Implementation Challenge

This success comes with the challenge of a wide diversity of deployed implementations. A commonly discussed topic in the industry and developer community is fragmentation. Fragmentation is caused by variations in platforms that prevent a single application from automatically running optimally on all targeted devices. Fragmentation has a number of different causes such as variety of firmware versions, device-specific APIs, deviations from specifications, implementation-specific aspects of specifications, memory management and graphics issues, device performance, localization, and some operator-specific differences and requirements.

Application developers in general like the fact that the Java ME platform enables differentiation, innovation, and value-add as long as it can be cost efficient. Developers want to be able code for any number of devices with a single code base, but fragmentation in devices has tainted the vision for the Java programming language of Write Once, Run Anywhere. As the number and variety of devices and applications escalate, the challenge of device fragmentation continues to grow for application developers developing for the Java ME platform. Developers are resource constrained with limited tools and are desperately seeking porting and content optimization solutions that can deliver a working knowledge of device characteristics, operator requirements, and porting specifications for even the most complex applications.

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Access + Collaboration = Consistency

By giving developers easy access to the phoneME projects and implementation of the Java ME platform technologies, including source code, binaries, early-access to technology, tightly integrated testing tools, and the ability to validate their applications against it, the industry will move toward a consistent platform. However, this does not directly address the needs of today's application developers who struggle with fragmentation. To address this issue, the Mobile & Embedded community must collaborate and share resources, tools, and guidance to overcome these challenges and manage the differences found in devices today. In addition, it will enable industry members to share code, guidelines, expertise, testing tools, utilities, and other developer resources that the community can leverage to simplify Java ME platform-based applications development.

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Resources

Compatibility Whitepaper
Development Best Practices

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