JAVA

Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME), is a suite of technologies that enables a variety of applications, features and services, including games, e-mail and 3D graphics. J2ME is designed for use on handheld devices such as cell phones, as well as set-top boxes for cable, satellite and telco TV. Java is important for wireless carriers because it enables data applications that drive additional revenue.

J2ME is designed to provide a rich, multimedia user experience in devices that have less memory and processing power than PCs. The suite of technologies has three major components: a programming language, a “virtual machine” client that resides on the device and a set of application programming interfaces (APIs). J2ME is “open source,” which means that developers and others can download the source code in order to create highly customized applications.

Sun Microsystems released the underlying technology for J2ME in 1999. Java is used in billions of devices, including more than .5 billion cell phones as of mid-2006, according to Sun. As of November 2006, more than 660 handset models use Java.

J2ME is available in two main types, called “profiles”: The Connected Limited Device Profile (CLDC) is designed for use with entry-level and mid-range handsets, while the Connected Device Profile (CDC) is for smartphones. J2ME is agnostic of network technology, so it is used on both GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA and CDMA handsets. Java also is agnostic of operating systems (OSs), so it can be used with a wide variety of smartphone OSs, such as BlackBerry and Symbian.

This flexibility helps make Java attractive to handset vendors, service providers, content providers and application developers because it can be used with the widest possible variety of devices. For example, a developer can use Java to create an application that runs on multiple handset models. That “write-once-run-many” flexibility reduces developers’ overhead costs. These benefits are some of the key reasons why J2ME has a large developer community, which is important for wireless customers because it ensures a wide selection of applications. Wireless industry organizations such as 3G Americas are continuously helping improve J2ME by issuing technical recommendations that add features and enhance the user experience.

Additional Information

Updated list of Java handsets

Introduction to Mobility Java Technology

The Java ME Platform

3G Americas Java Technical Recommendations for Handsets

Wireless Java Application Environment: An Executive Overview

Java licensees

Events

Documents