Mobile Java: A New Opportunity for Data Services (Executive Summary) Executive Summary Publication Date: November 1, 2002
Authors Ben Wood Alan Brown Ann Liang Nahoko Mitsuyama Delia MacMillan Sauk-Hun Song Michael King John Girard This document has been published to the following Marketplace codes: TELC-WW-EX-0480 For More Information... In North America and Latin America: +1-203-316-1111 In Europe, the Middle East and Africa: +44-1784-268819 In Asia/Pacific: +61-7-3405-2582 In Japan: +81-3-3481-3670 Worldwide via gartner.com: www.gartner.com Entire contents 2002 Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. 110856
Mobile Java: A New Opportunity for Data Services (Executive Summary) Mobile Industry Looks From WAP to Java The mobile industry is becoming more data-oriented. As a result, it must determine how to deliver compelling applications to ensure that data services fulfill their potential for subscriber numbers and revenue. The industry had high hopes that Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) would launch this market in earnest. But WAP has failed to deliver so far, because of poor implementations and a lack of compelling content. Therefore, the industry is looking to a new technology Java to be among those to deliver compelling applications to wireless devices, including mobile terminals and smart cards. This document focuses on its use in mobile networks and mobile terminals. J2ME: Benefits for Mobile Operators and for Users Java is an open, extensible programming framework created by Sun Microsystems. It enables developers, mobile operators and third-party solution providers to create applications. Sun's Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) is a development of Java. It is a compact, standardized application environment designed for devices with limited power and memory, including mobile terminals. It offers a wide range of open libraries for applications to address (see http://java.sun.com/j2me/). J2ME's main benefit for mobile operators is that it enables different makes of suitably featured terminal to run the same applications and access the same content from a single platform. However, some mobile operators that are keen to maximize their airtime revenue may be less enthusiastic about another of J2ME's features, even though it will greatly benefit users. For users can access J2ME's secure application environment independently of a mobile-network connection. They will, for example, be able to play games on their terminals in areas that lack network coverage (such as subway stations) or enter information into a simple expense application. Key Elements of J2ME for Mobile Terminals Two key elements of the J2ME standard for mobile terminals are its Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) and Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) technologies. CLDC includes the "K virtual machine" (KVM) a Java virtual machine that powers the applications. It is designed to accommodate the power, memory and size constraints of mobile devices. MIDP is built on top of CLDC. It includes a range of application programming interfaces (APIs) for areas such as messaging, security and the user interface; it also has a database framework. MIDP makes some key requirements of mobile terminals, including: Display characteristics: size, aspect ratio and pixel shape. Method of user input: via a one- or two-handed keyboard or a touch screen. 2002 Gartner, Inc. 1
2 Mobile Java: A New Opportunity for Data Services (Executive Summary) Memory: 256KB of memory for MIDP components, 8KB for applicationcreated persistent data and 128KB for the Java runtime environment. Networking capability: a two-way wireless connection with limited bandwidth. At present, mobile terminals that have Java support use MIDP version 1.0. This is the first commercially available implementation of MIDP, and its limitations have caused manufacturers that support it to implement proprietary extensions. These include support for mobile-terminal features such as sound, vibrating cases and screen transparency (essential for applications with moving images, such as games). MIDP 1.0 will be replaced by MIDP 2.0, which is also known as MIDP Next Generation (MIDP-NG). MIDP 2.0 is expected to be "frozen" in the Java standardization process in the fourth quarter of 2002, with a reference design becoming available before the end of 2002. Gartner believes the first commercial MIDP 2.0 terminals will be shown at CeBIT in 2003 and shipped into the channel in the second half of that year. Forecast for Sales of Java-Enabled Mobile Terminals to End Users Table 1 gives Gartner's forecast for sales of Java-enabled mobile terminals to end users to 2006, with historical data for 2001. Table 1 Forecast for Sales of Java-Enabled Mobile Terminals to End Users Worldwide, 2001-2006 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Sales (K) 22,307.6 77,795.6 157,521.4 241,029.5 306,317.1 374,612.7 Source: Gartner Dataquest (November 2002) J2ME's Fragmentation Hinders Application Developers The greatest challenge facing mobile Java is fragmentation of the standard, which will continue until MIDP 2.0 is universally established. As noted above, mobile-terminal manufacturers delivering GSM-compatible equipment often have to extend J2ME's MIDP 1.0 specification with proprietary extensions in order to deliver compelling Java applications. This means that application developers find it neither easy nor financially viable to create applications that will run on large numbers of mobile terminals. Mobile Operators and Terminal Manufacturers Must Change Strategy J2ME May Be Usurped Mobile operators and terminal manufacturers must alter their strategies considerably if they are to create an environment in which mobile Java can fulfill its potential. Such an environment must include the following: intuitive development tools; revenue models that cater for all key members of the mobile Java value chain; clear distribution channels; a combined hardwareand-software approach in mobile terminals; and, above all, a single, clear technology standard. A major concern identified by Gartner is whether J2ME will prevail as the best platform for delivering applications to mobile devices. As the processing power and memory of these devices increase, J2ME might seem limited in what it can offer. As a result, a fuller version of Java Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) might usurp it. 2002 Gartner, Inc. November 1, 2002
Mobile Java: A New Opportunity for Data Services (Executive Summary) 3 This is not a significant issue for low-end mobile terminals, whose memory and performance are especially limited, but it might be for high-end smart phones. Then again, developers might instead choose to create applications that use the device's native APIs or operating system (for example, Symbian). Links For full details, please see the Focus Report titled "Mobile Java: The New Hope for Data Services," which is published to Gartner Dataquest's Telecom Public and Mobile Services Europe and Mobile Communications Worldwide Clusters. Links to this document are as follows: TCPM-EU-FR-0112 TCMC-WW-FR-0121 2002 Gartner, Inc. November 1, 2002
4 Mobile Java: A New Opportunity for Data Services (Executive Summary) 2002 Gartner, Inc. November 1, 2002