Driving Java Use in Handhelds

A s mobile technology matures, handheld-device vendors are looking for ways to make their products more functional, and Java is one approach they are turning to. This is particularly the case with smart cellular phones, which are using Java to help add new capabilities. In smart phones, Java functions as a layer between the operating system and the hardware, or runs parallel to the OS within a separate chip. In the past, the key constraint to running Java on mobile devices has been their processing, memory, and powerconsumption limitations. However, new mobile hardware and software developments are reducing these limitations. Thus, industry observers expect Java use in mobile devices, which is already supported by many vendors, to explode during the coming years. Nick Jones, a fellow at Gartner Inc., a market research firm, said Java will become a de facto standard on midrange and high-end cellular phones. He predicted that at least 80 percent of mobile phones will support Java by 2006, although some may also run on other technologies, such as Microsoft’s Pocket PC operating system. According to Jones, mobile-device manufacturers’ desire for an aftermarket is driving interest in Java as a mechanism for easily adding software to devices. Java also permits applications to work across platforms. This is important in the mobile-phone market, which features many platforms. However, questions about Java’s performance and a dearth of Java-based applications for cellular phones, particularly in Europe and the US, remain as obstacles to the technology’s widespread adoption in mobile devices.