Future WAP-related Developments

The WAP Forum is working on a large number of new specifications to create a framework within which to build innovative new mobile applications. Chief of these is the so-called convergence effort: WAP version 2.0 re-specifies WML as an XHTML application in order to achieve convergence with other web content definition technologies. I'll have much more to say on this shortly.

WAP Forum Specifications

There are significant efforts by the WAP forum to develop specifications on:

 

Ø       Transport layer end-to-end security
A method of redirecting the client from the default pull WAP gateway to a subordinate proxy WAP gateway in the secure domain of the content server, thus allowing WTLS all the way from the client to the content server's secure domain.

Ø       Provisioning architecture
An effort to impose order and security on the process of remotely configuring connection details on subscribers' phones.

Ø       Wireless PKI architecture
This work aims to define the architecture that can provide a Public Key Infrastructure, to exploit the capabilities of mobile devices to handle private certificates, which were added to WAP in v1.2.

Ø       Multimedia enhancements
To exploit the possibilities opened up by the speed of delivery on 3G bearer networks.

Faster Phone Data Networks

The speed of bearer network technology development and implementation is just as important to the quality of the WAP user's experience as the application functionality defined in the various WAP APIs. A frequent criticism of WAP is that the reality does not live up to the hype, and at present most of us would agree with that point of view in most cases. Nonetheless, I believe that new phones supporting GPRS (or above) are crucial if WAP is to enjoy widespread acceptance and support. Other factors, such as charges and widespread availability of services are equally important.

 

Any new technology is only worthwhile if it's of real benefit to the consumer and makes their lives significantly easier. At present, GSM data network speeds are too slow, and there is not enough WAP content out there. However, the following bearer network technologies will be available in the not-too-distant future:

 

Ø       GPRS - initial transmission speeds of 14.4 kbit/s, rising potentially to 56-100kbit/s

Ø       HSCSD - up to 56kbit/s

Ø       EDGE - 384kbit/s

Ø       UMTS - theoretically 2Mbit/s

 

These maximum speeds may not be achieved due to network capacity limitations, but even so the fact that these connections are "always on", and the faster data transmission speeds, will be key factors in accelerating WAP acceptance.

Improved Device-to-device Communication

Another new technology that should be mentioned here is Bluetooth, a computing and telecommunications industry specification that describes how mobile phones, computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) can connect with each other (and with home and business phones and computers) using a short-range wireless connection. Bluetooth enables transmission at 1 megabit per second - five times faster than infrared transfers.

As time goes on, the distinctions between different classes of mobile devices will blur. Future devices will include elements from all of the current classes (PDAs, communicators, smartphones, and so on), and will be able to share information using Bluetooth. This creates a headache for device manufacturers, who will be expected to respond to demand either by producing a huge variety of consumer devices, each targeted at very specific audiences, or by attempting to cater for everyone at once by incorporating Bluetooth, WAP, and possibly video into the same device.

 

Technologies such as this allow the creation of what IBM likes to call "Pervasive" computing. This means that the network exists everywhere and every device, be it Microwave, Fridge, PC or mobile, is communicating constantly with other devices sharing data.

An Example

Innovations like these hold the promise of an exciting future for developers, as they open up the possibility of brand new types of application. For example, imagine a user listening to digital radio on their personal communicator device, and liking a particular track. The user presses the "purchase" button, and their payment details are accessed from the smart card and sent with the music vendor's details to a WAP payment service provider (PSP) over an encrypted link. The PSP handles the payment with the bank's systems, and the purchase is approved. An MP3 version of the album is then downloaded from the music vendor to the user's device.

 

On arriving at home, the device uses Bluetooth to transfer the album across to the user's hi-fi system, which works with their PC to get additional artwork, videos, and so on, and to make notes of links to and samples of additional material by the same or similar bands.