Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced the release of an applications programming interface (API) for the Java™ 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME™) from Sun Microsystems. The Mobile Information Device (MID) Profile defines how software applications are designed to interface with wireless phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs), and opens the door to new, unlimited application development potential for one of the world's fastest-growing industries.
The recently developed specification builds on Sun's J2ME that defines how these applications will interface with the native software of the end user devices. As the driving force of the specification committee for the MID Profile, Motorola is helping to craft the definition and deployment of this open standard for the wireless industry. Motorola's active participation in these open standards extends and compliments the company's DigitalDNA™ technology solutions portfolio.
"Sun Microsystems is very pleased with Motorola's leadership of the MID Profile specification subcommittee," said George Paolini, vice president, Java Community Development and chairman, Java Community Process, Sun Microsystems. "Motorola's expertise in wireless technology and their commitment to open standards is a model for the communications software industry." Motorola worked closely with a team of 22 companies from the wireless industry, including device manufacturers and system operators from around the globe and Sun Microsystems, to define the MID Profile specification.
Advanced Technology Helps Developers to Get Applications to Market Quickly
J2ME technology is designed to enable third party developers to create powerful applications in an open environment. The key benefit of J2ME to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) is that it is designed to allow applications to be written once for mobile information devices and be shared with other devices that support the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) and MID Profile specifications. Developers may no longer have to re-write applications for specific devices with the help of J2ME, which is designed to enable the portability of applications across small footprint, wireless devices.
First MID Profile Equipped Devices Expected to Ship by Year End
The first MID Profile equipped device to ship is expected to be a wireless handset based on Motorola's advanced multiple communications and computing platform for iDEN networks. This device combines the capabilities of a digital wireless phone, a two-way radio, a text pager, always-connected Internet access, two-way e-mail and wireless modem functionality in a palm-size handset, and is expected to begin shipping this December.
"The potential for application development for wireless devices is an important advancement in wireless communications and mobile computing," said Bill Werner, corporate vice president of Motorola and general manager of the iDEN Subscriber Group. "Mobile phone users can expect to be able to upgrade and add applications to their devices, enabling them to communicate in new ways and run applications never before possible on a wireless phone. The advanced handset platform we're introducing will help millions of Java developers quickly create wireless applications, and end users to use many local and networked J2ME-based applications, from groupware to games. Network operators can expect to offer new applications, serve vertical segments and provide potential new revenue sources."
Motorola is committed to the software development community and expects to announce additional wireless handsets incorporating the MID Profile standard. Motorola's first J2ME-enabled cellular phone is scheduled to ship mid 2001 with additions to its product range throughout the year. By mid 2002, Motorola is planning that all its handsets will have J2ME capability as standard. Motorola plans to continue working actively with the software community to create valued-added applications that Java-developers and network operators can offer to end users beginning late this year.