Since Apple released the iPhone in 2007 the conversion into a mobile web has accelerated strongly. This paper discusses the challenges resulting from that shift.
The diversity of platforms and device specifications put a heavy burden on developers. While each platform offers an own proprietary API for developing applications it is often desirable to develop applications platform independently. One possible way today is to use web technologies. Although this offers a platform independent API many commonly used system APIs are not accessible. For most applications this is not acceptable since the use of sensors and file I/O is a premise to build modern user experiences.
But now another interesting part of mobile development begins to merge into the sphere of web technology. This is the use of widgets. Widgets were originally designed for desktop use as small single purpose applications but were quickly adapted on the web. Those applications are written using web standards like HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
The widgets we see on the web today can only use the limited JavaScript APIs that is provided by the browsers. Also the W3Cs current widget specification fails to deliver on device APIs, where only packaging and a widgets configuration is specified. That is why new specifications are about to be made and standardized. They describe Widget Engines and their APIs that wrap around modern handsets system APIs.
During the last two years mayor telecommunication companies founded joint ventures like JIL and BONDI to fulfill this goal. Both JIL and BODI have worked out specifications on device APIs and security as well as reference implementations for at least one mobile platform. These results are the input for a new round of widget specification within the W3C.
While there are neither standards nor implementations around today
developers have to handle platform diversity themselves. This problem is tackled by some frameworks of which Phonegap and J2ME-Polish are introduced in the conclusion of this paper.
Table of Contents
1 Abstract
2 Introduction
2.1 Widgets
2.1.1 Device APIs
2.1.2 Security
2.1.3 Packaging
2.1.4 Configuration
2.2 Widget Engine
2.3 Shortcomings of mobile web
2.3.1 technical reasons
2.3.2 marketing reasons
3 Current Innovations
3.1 W3C Recommendation
3.2 Joint Innovation Labs (JIL)
3.3 OMTP BONDI
3.4 Wholesale Applications Community
3.5 W3C ongoing work
4 Conclusion
4.1 Consequences and Alternatives
4.1.1 J2MEPolish
4.1.2 PhoneGap
5 Phonegap API Tests
5.1 Use Case I: Virtual Microscope
5.1.1 User Interface
5.1.2 Logic
5.2 Use Case II: Shop Finder
5.2.1 Reading geolocation
5.3 Phonegap Deployment
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the challenges of device fragmentation in the mobile landscape and explores the standardization of Widget-APIs as a viable solution for platform-independent application development.
- Evolution of the mobile web and modern smartphone paradigms
- Technical and marketing constraints of current proprietary application distribution
- Role of emerging industry alliances like JIL, OMTP BONDI, and WAC
- Evaluation of platform-independent frameworks such as PhoneGap and J2ME-Polish
- Practical implementation of mobile widgets using standardized web technologies
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Shortcomings of mobile web
As a result of the 1990’s browser war, that was won by the Internet Explorer, compliance to web standards was low. But since then standards are gaining influence. Todays modern web browsers are becoming more and more standard compliant. This enables web developers to use the browser a as standardized runtime environment.
Many tasks that ten years ago where fulfilled in standalone applications are today done on the web. The range of applications that are already present on the web reaches out wide. Some of them are classic office applications like word-processing, others are communication utilities like instant messaging, email, calendar or new innovations like Google wave. All those applications are build on top of standardized web technology. Standards and W3C Recommendations (e.g. HTML, CSS, JavaScript) made those innovations possible.
With regard to the mobile web one can notice a different development. While on the classical web, applications move from the native system platform to the web, on mobile handsets applications that make use of the Internet are often not browser driven but native. The following section will elaborate on both technical and marketing reasons for that.
Summary of Chapters
1 Abstract: Provides an overview of the challenges posed by device fragmentation and the potential of mobile widgets as a platform-independent solution.
2 Introduction: Discusses the shift toward mobile web usage, smartphone paradigms, and the inherent differences between native and web-based application development.
3 Current Innovations: Outlines major industry initiatives like JIL, BONDI, and the WAC that aim to standardize APIs for cross-platform interoperability.
4 Conclusion: Analyzes the consequences of current fragmentation and compares J2ME-Polish and PhoneGap as strategies for platform independence.
5 Phonegap API Tests: Details practical use cases, including a virtual microscope and a shop finder, to demonstrate how PhoneGap utilizes web technologies for native device functions.
Keywords
Widget-APIs, Device Fragmentation, Mobile Web, HTML5, JavaScript, PhoneGap, J2ME-Polish, Standardization, JIL, OMTP BONDI, WAC, W3C, Cross-Platform, Mobile Development, Application Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The paper focuses on the challenges of device fragmentation in mobile development and the standardization of Widget-APIs to enable platform-independent applications.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include mobile web evolution, the limitations of current proprietary app stores, cross-industry standardization efforts, and technical frameworks for bridging platform differences.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how standardized Widget-APIs and frameworks like PhoneGap can overcome the burden of platform-specific development.
Which scientific or technical methods are applied?
The author combines a literature review of web standards and industry specifications with practical technical testing and implementation examples for mobile widgets.
What does the main body of the work address?
The body covers technical and marketing reasons for fragmentation, current industry alliances, and hands-on demonstrations of utilizing PhoneGap for device-specific functions.
How would one characterize this work?
It is a technical analysis of modern mobile development ecosystems, centered around the keywords of platform independence, web standards, and interoperability.
How does the author evaluate the future of the W3C's progress?
The author notes that while progress is slow, the pressure from massive industry alliances like WAC is likely to accelerate the development of standard recommendations.
What does the PhoneGap project aim to achieve?
The project aims to make itself redundant by encouraging mobile browsers to natively implement the W3C specifications required for cross-platform functionality.
Why are mobile applications often still developed as native apps?
Native apps are preferred because they provide better access to specific device hardware like the camera, GPS, and file system, which are often not fully accessible via standard web browsers.
What is the role of App Stores in this context?
App Stores serve as both a distribution channel and a revenue source that ties developers to proprietary APIs, reinforcing platform fragmentation.
- Citar trabajo
- Jakob Sachse (Autor), 2010, The standardization of Widget-APIs as an approach for overcoming device fragmentation, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/149097
