Handset Manufacturers and WAP Services

Handset Manufacturers and WAP Services

It is expected that mobile terminal manufacturers will experience significant change as a result of WAP technology—a chance that will impact the look and feel of the hardware they produce. The main issues faced by this arm of the industry concern the size of mobile phones, power supplies, display size, usability, processing power, and the role of personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other mobile terminals.

With over 75 percent of the world's key handset manufacturers already involved in the WAP Forum and announcing the impending release of WAP–compatible handsets, the driv e toward new and innovative devices is quickly gathering pace. The handsets themselves will contain a microbrowser that will serve to interpret the byte code (generated from the WML/WMLS content) and display interactive content to the user.

The services available to users will be wide-ranging in nature, as a result of the open specifications of WAP, their similarity to the established and accepted Internet model, and the simplicity of the WML/WMLS languages with which the applications will be written. Information will be available in push-and-pull functionality, with the ability for users to interact with services via both voice and data interfaces. Web browsing as experienced by the desktop user, however, is   not expected to be the main driver beh ind WAP as a result of time and processing restraints. Real-time applications and services demand small and key pieces of information that will fuel the success of WAP in the mobile marketplace. Stock prices, news, weather, and travel are only some of the areas in which WAP will provide services for mobile users. Essentially, the WAP application strategy involves taking existing services that are common within a fixed-line environment and tailoring them to be purposeful and user-friendly in a wireless environment. Empowering the user with the ability to access a wealth of information and services from a mobile device will create a new battleground. Mobile industry players will fight to provide their customers with sophisticated, value-added services. As mobile commerce becomes a more secure and trusted channel by which consumers may conduct their financial affairs, the market for WAP will become even more lucrative.