WAP Emerges in France
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Services for the Mobile User
With the low interaction and resolution capacities of today's mobile devices, traditional web browsing is not as interesting to WAP developers as technology based on the mobile and personal nature of wireless device use. Content such as weather and traffic reports, financial services, and maps are well-suited to the mobile user.
The most popular service is the virtual desk, which is able to unify e-mail, scheduling, and address book functions depending on the device used to access the "desk." Personalized and localized services also work well with wireless devices, and WAP-based multiplayer games such as Kiwee and Barbooze are gaining popularity.
Research by the NOP company shows that 22% of French Web users (8.6 million professional and private users) want to buy a wireless phone before the end of year, and 36% of these users consider themselves WAP-savvy. To grab these potential new customers, several French Web sites feature WAP simulators on PC-based browsers to demonstrate the available services.
Access Providers
One problem for content providers and developers working in the mobile market is finding professional-quality hosting services. Today, only two wireless access providers -- ATOS and Easynet -- are able to provide a gateway between the WAP- and IP-based worlds.
In response to the demand for wireless services, some access providers have modified the configuration of their web servers to allow WML (Wireless Markup Language, the wireless equivalent of HTML) content to be sent. The first mobile device available in France was the Nokia 7110 phone, a product with restrictive display characteristics according to the WAP specification. Because it was the first device on the market, most French WML pages are written to be compatible with the Nokia display.
Development Issues
But as the range of Internet-enabled devices grows, so does the variety of display specifications. This raises a complex issue for developers: If developing a traditional web site means checking the display on all PC-based browsers, developing wireless content means verifying the display on a higher potential number of browsers plugged into an ever-increasing number of devices.
This will have a direct impact on the complexity and support of content production. This doesn't necessarily mean that all existing content sites will need to be converted to WAP technology. Device-specific applications may prove to be more useful to consumers.
Implications
The wireless way of life is certainly more than a passing fad. It is estimated that by the year 2003 more than 50% of all connections to Internet will be made through wireless devices. For wireless developers, the problem is how to develop applications for today's WAP phones, laptops, and PDAs that will be compatible with tomorrow's WAP-enabled devices (such as refrigerators, automobiles, or watches) -- while continuing to develop IP-based applications for more traditional browsing devices.
The answer will likely involve a combination of XML for data structure, XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language) to adapt content to specific output devices, and Java as the application program interface. New XSL style sheets will need to be written for each new device on the market, enabling these devices to display information in a way that is appropriate for individual display formats. With its capability to work across enterprise middleware, multiple operating systems, diverse programming languages, and various display devices, XML is an essential component of such device-independent solutions. But today's development tools and servers are only the beginning. As these devices are adopted by the public, the variety of powerful wireless solutions will only increase.
Philippe Ensarguet is a consultant on emerging technology for the Alliance Qualité Logiciel company. He is also a member of the Silicomp group and works on new services design, innovation management, and XML and wireless technology.
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