Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Florida Atlantic University
Syed Ahson
Senior Software Engineer, iDEN Mobile Devices
Motorola, Inc.
- Smartphones?
- The Need for Smartphone Operating Systems
- Smartphone Security
- Smartphone Applications
- Conclusion
- References
The pace of our lives and the data content in it is increasing exponentially. Millions of people are working outside a typical office setting. Mobile information workers are using numerous tools and processes for collecting data to complete their tasks. Mobile technology advances are converging to improve the tools available for these mobile information workers. The integration of wireless connectivity, found in cell phones and pagers, with computer applications is providing a selection of new and small mobile devices that have shown promise to enhance the effectiveness of a mobile workforce. Wireless mobile devices are seen as tools to improve mobile workforce productivity, reduce operational costs, and increase customer satisfaction. Voice and text messaging remain the killer applications for mobile devices.
Smartphones integrate personal digital assistant (PDA) functionality in a voice-centric handset. Smartphones are optimized for voice and text communication. Smartphones enable users to access e-mail wirelessly, browse the Internet, and connect securely to corporate networks. Smartphones allow users to initiate and respond to communication in multiple ways. Smartphones also give users a choice to communicate via voice or text along with the ability to access information and services while on the go. It enables users to maintain an up-to-date copy of information stored on their personal computer (PC). They can synchronize their appointments, contacts, calendar, and e-mail. Smartphones help improve the user's productivity and may be customized to the business process they are integrated in by adding specialized applications. Smartphones may run customized applications that present personalized business information. Smartphones may also be programmed to respond to key business events automatically.
Smartphones are designed to a sleek, lightweight form factor that elegantly integrates to a wearable handheld. Smartphones are keypad-centric and allow users to view and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases. Smartphones have built-in wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) capabilities or accept Wi-Fi expansion cards. Wi-Fi (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers [IEEE] 802.11b) support allows users to access the Internet on their smartphones at a wireless access point or hot spot. Smartphones have built-in Bluetooth capability or accept a separate Bluetooth expansion card. Bluetooth technology allows users to transfer information wirelessly between their smartphones and compatible Bluetooth-enabled devices within 30 feet, including other handhelds, computers, and printers. Smartphones may use infrared beaming to exchange information with desktop computers and other devices.
Smartphones feature built-in expansion card slots that support secure digital (SD), SD input/output (SDIO), and multimedia card (MMC) formats. SD and MMC formats enable smartphone users to add instant memory. SDIO cards enable smartphone users to connect peripherals such as a navigation system, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b) card, credit-card reader and printer, bar-code reader, or radio frequency identification (RFID) readers. Smartphones run advanced operating systems such as Palm OS, Microsoft Pocket PC, Windows CE, and embedded Linux. Smartphone advanced operating systems allow users to download and run customized applications.
Smartphones may be connected to numerous peripheral devices via Bluetooth or SDIO expansion slots. Software customization capabilities of smartphones conveniently transform them to business productivity tools. For example, a smartphone user could connect the following:
- A global positioning system (GPS) with an SD adapter or integrated Bluetooth wireless connectivity, which could enable the smartphone to read out step-by-step driving directions
- A Wi-Fi card, which smartphone users can use in airports, hotels, corporate facilities, and even coffee shops to access business services through the Internet (virtual private networking [VPN] software could be used to provide an encrypted wireless connection to corporate networks)
- A peripheral that is both a credit card magnetic stripe reader and a printer, which smartphone users can use with a point-of-sale application on their smartphones to take orders and print out receipts anywhere they need to conduct business
- A bar-code reader, which can be used with a smartphone to track inventory, enter data into fields, identify the user's location (as in the case of a security guard), or obtain product and pricing information
- RFID readers-currently being developed-which are expected to plug in to or be built in to smartphones
Proprietary operating systems have enabled cellular phone manufacturers to develop a significant market share. Implemented by cellular phone manufacturers, they cannot meet software and hardware requirements for smartphone functionality and are actually designed for simple user interfaces and telephony protocol software. An advanced, open operating system is required for the introduction of advanced applications and services that will increase revenue for mobile operators. Evolving proprietary operating systems to smartphone operating-system functionality will be extremely challenging, leading to longer product-development cycles and a low-reliability product. Smartphone operating systems are disruptive technologies that will gain prominence in the coming years. They will allow a huge developer community to build advanced mobile applications and services.
Figure 1 illustrates worldwide converged devices market share in the first quarter of 2006 for smartphone operating systems.
Figure 1: Worldwide Converged Devices Market Shares for the First Quarter of 2006
(Source: Canalys)
2.1 Symbian OS
In 1998, senior management and product architects from Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia decided to initiate the development of a new operating system for next-generation mobile phones. Proprietary operating systems running on cellular phones from Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia were designed for simple user interfaces and telephony protocols. The aim was to create a next-generation cellular-phone operating system that would be an open standard to be adopted by the entire industry. EPOC (rumored to stand for "electronic piece of cheese"), an operating system developed by Psion Software, was selected as the baseline for Symbian OS. In April 2006, Symbian launched the latest version of Symbian OS, Symbian OS v9.3 [1].
Symbian OSv9.3 features a rich suite of application services [2]. Its application services suite includes services for contacts, scheduling, messaging, object exchange (OBEX) for exchanging appointments (vCalendar) and business cards (vCard) as well as integrated application programming interfaces (APIs) for data management, text, clipboard, and graphics. Symbian OSv9.3 has extensive support for the latest Java standards such as mobile information device protocol (MIDP) 2.0, connected limited device configuration (CLDC) 1.1, Java technology for the wireless industry (JTWI) (JSR185), mobile media API (JSR135), Java API for Bluetooth (JSR082), wireless messaging (JSR120), mobile 3-D graphics API (JSR184), and personal information management and file generic connection framework (GCF) APIs (JSR075). Symbian OSv9.3 offers text messaging through enterprise messaging server (EMS), short message service (SMS), and Internet e-mail using post office protocol 3 (POP3), Internet message access protocol 4 (IMAP4), simple main transfer protocol (SMTP), and multipurpose Internet mail extensions hypertext transfer protocol (MHTML) attachments. Its multimedia engine enables recording, playback, and streaming of numerous audio and video formats. Platform security is enforced by a proactive system defense mechanism based on granting and monitoring application capabilities through Symbian signed certification. In addition, full encryption and certificate management, secure protocols (HTTP with secure sockets layer [HTTPS], SSL, and transport layer security [TLS]) and wireless application protocol (WAP) identity module (WIM) framework is also present. Symbian OSv9.3 supports unicode standard version 3.0.
Symbian OSv9.3 implements a real-time multithreaded kernel that supports the latest central processing unit (CPU) architectures, peripherals, and internal and external memory types. It is designed for multiple simultaneous displays, multiple display sizes, multiple display orientations, and graphics acceleration APIs. Communication protocol stacks implemented include transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) (dual-mode IP version 4 (IPv4)/IPv6), WAP 2.0 (connectionless wireless session protocol [WSP] and WAP push) for wide-area networking and Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Bluetooth, and universal serial bus (USB) for personal area networking. Symbian OSv9.3 is 3G enabled with support for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) (third generation partnership project [3GPP] R4 and R5 Internet multimedia subsystem [IMS]), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) circuit-switched voice and data (CSD and enhanced data rates for GSM evolution [EDGE] CSD) and packet-based data (general packet radio service [GPRS] and EDGE GPRS), CDMA circuit-switched voice, data and packet-based data (IS-95 and 1x radio transmission technology [RTT]). CDMA-specific features, including CDMA network roaming, third-party over the air (OTA) API, number assignment module (NAM) programming mode, CDMA SMS stack, and network access identifier (NAI) handset identification interfaces to enable mobile IP and bridge and router gateway modes of operation. OTA synchronization is supported using Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) standards. PC-based synchronization is available over serial, Bluetooth, IrDA, and USB. A PC connectivity framework providing the ability to transfer files and synchronize personal information management (PIM) data is also present. Symbian OS v9.3 is OMA device management (DM) 1.1.2- and OMA client provisioning v1.1-compliant. Application development in C++ is supported by CodeWarrior and Eclipse-based integrated development environments (IDEs). Java MIDP 2.0 is supported by all mainstream Java tools. A PC-hosted emulator, reference boards, joint test action group (JTAG) probes, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) debuggers are available for general development.
2.1.1 UIQ 3
User interface IQ (UIQ) is a user-interface platform for Symbian OS-based smartphones [3]. UIQ is designed for advanced, media-rich smartphones and offers easy access to a wide variety of data services in 2.5G and 3G networks. UIQ-based smartphones enable access to enterprise applications, e-mail, multimedia clips, and Web pages. Advanced interaction and graphical capabilities provide support for advanced gaming possibilities. UIQ is a source-code product that smartphone manufacturers can port and integrate into their own hardware designs. UIQ 3.0, the latest version of UIQ, is based on Symbian OS v9.1. UIQ 3.0 enables smartphone manufacturers to create a highly diversified range of smartphones, each with its own form factor, from a single code base. Smartphone manufacturers can use this capability to create a portfolio of smartphones from the same platform. UIQ 2.0 and UIQ 2.1 were designed for pen-based user interfaces only. UIQ 3.0 provides a user interface designed for one-handed use with softkeys while continuing to support touchscreens and pen-based input. The UIQ classic pen-based user interface and the new one-handed alternative are built on the very same code base. The UIQ platform is comprised of a feature-rich applications suite, a graphical user interface (GUI) toolkit, an application framework, and system services.
The UIQ applications suite includes telephony, contacts, messaging, and agenda applications. The UIQ GUI toolkit enables smartphone developers to enhance existing applications and create new applications. Building blocks, layout managers, and a wide range of controls such as menus and dialogues are available. Applications developed using the UIQ GUI toolkit have a consistent look and feel. UIQ application framework and system services are the basis of the UIQ platform.
Smartphone manufacturers have to suffer high cost and long time to market while creating specific implementations of their smartphones for each network operator. UIQ 3.0 operator configuration package (OCP) aims to solve this problem. UIQ 3.0 OCP enables UIQ licensees to configure UIQ quickly and easily with network operator-specific digital branding and settings. These configurations are used throughout all UIQ components and applications. OTA device-management capabilities of UIQ 3.0 OCP enable device modifications even after end users have purchased the smartphone. UIQ 3.0 OCP reduces time to market for smartphone manufacturers that are creating distinctive smartphones for network operators.
UIQ 3.0 OCP considerably reduces effort required to maintain network operator-specific configurations. It also enables smartphone manufacturers to have a common code base for all devices. UIQ 3.0 OCP allows smartphone manufacturers to add operator branding and settings late in the production cycle. Smartphone manufacturers can extend the standard OCP structure to match their software extensions and specific hardware. It supports localization of content to match the language and culture of each targeted market. UIQ OCP can be reused on other UIQ smartphones with different form factors.
UIQ 3.0 is designed to be a visually appealing user interface. Themes have been enhanced to include skins. Preinstalled themes can be modified, and new ones can be installed. Themes may be used by end users to personalize smartphones and by manufacturers and operators for branding. Animations and transition effects have been added. UIQ 3.0 animations may be used for richer UI or illustrating progress. UIQ 3.0 animations may appear as an integrated part of the UI or float on top of it. Transition effects are used between screen views, for example, when closing a dialog or switching between applications. Licensees may create advanced types of transition effects on top of UIQ to create a unique user experience. UIQ 3.0 has been designed to let smartphone users perform everyday functions easily and quickly. Complex and routine tasks can be completed with fewer clicks and menu selections.
The Series 60 Platform
The Series 60 platform is a user-interface platform for Symbian OS-based smartphones. The Series 60 platform is designed for advanced and media-rich smartphones and offers easy access to wide variety of data services in 2.5G and 3G networks. Series 60 platform-based smartphones enable access to enterprise applications, e-mail, multimedia clips, and Web pages. Advanced interaction and graphical capabilities provide support for advanced gaming possibilities. The Series 60 platform is based on Symbian OS v9.1 and enables smartphone manufacturers to create a highly diversified range of smartphones, each with its own form factor, from a single code base. Smartphone manufacturers can use this capability to create a portfolio of smartphones from the same platform. The Series 60 platform functionality can be divided into user-interface layer, applications layer, and common-platform enablers.
The Series 60 platform provides a user interface designed for one-handed use with softkeys. It supports touchscreens and pen-based input; it is a source code product that smartphone manufacturers can port and integrate into their own hardware designs. The Series 60 platform is a feature-rich software platform for smartphones with advanced data capabilities and is comprised of a feature-rich application suite, common user-interface components, and development tools for implementing new applications.
The Series 60 platform-user interface ensures that smartphone users have a consistent interface across all Series 60 platform-based devices from all smartphone manufacturers. The Series 60 platform-user interface operates with a color screen with support for a multitude of screen resolutions (176x208, 240x320 [quarter video graphics array (QVGA)] and 352x416 pixels). The Series 60 platform implements landscape screen support with a hot switch that allows the screen to be switched between portrait and landscape mode. The Series 60 platform-user interface includes support for two softkeys, five-way navigation, an application launching and swapping key, and call-creation and call-termination keys. The Series 60 platform-user interface uses a standard 12-key number keypad including letters and also has clear and edit keys to make text input easy. The Series 60 platform also supports a full QWERTY keyboard.
The Series 60 platform provides an extensive set of rich applications and enablers. The Series 60 platform application suite includes advanced telephony application, unified-messaging center (MMS, SMS, and e-mail), OMA instant messaging (IM) and presence applications, a full mobile Internet browser (HTML 4.01, extensible HTML (XHTML) mobile profile (MP), and WAP cascading style sheets [CSS]), 3GPP-compliant streaming client (RealOne Player), Java MIDP 2.0 environment, application manager, OMA digital rights management (forward lock), SyncML data synchronization and device management, OMA client provisioning, media gallery, camcorder application, image viewer, connection manager with support for multiple policy decision point (PDP) contexts, mobile wallet, and a variety of PIM applications.
The Series 60 platform offers numerous smartphone manufacturer and network-operator customization options. Smartphone manufacturers may modify the operator menu, create specific download folders and links, embed download links in applications, provide active idle functionality, and create differentiated UI themes and distinctive branded graphical softkeys. It also offers numerous smartphone user personalization options. Smartphone users can modify softkey assignments, define shortcut keys, and switch between different available UI themes. The Series 60 platform UI themes consist of application shell icons and background, wallpapers, signal indicators, color palettes, color settings, and screen savers. Smartphone users can switch between available themes. New themes can be created using the Series 60 platform theme studio. Smartphone manufacturers and network operators may use themes for branding.
The Series 60 platform - second edition release was initially made available in 2003 and has been extended with three feature packs. The Series 60 platform - second edition Pack 1 added support for HTML small-screen browsing and EGDE networks. Pack 2 added support for CDMA and WCDMA and has GSM, dual-mode WCDMA-GSM, and CDMA configurations. Pack 3 added support for scalable UI and high resolution (176x208, 240x320 [QVGA] and 352x416 pixels).
The Series 60 platform - third edition release allows smartphone manufacturers to create highly segmented and cost-optimized devices to meet the different needs of smartphone users [4]. The new architecture also includes built-in security features that provide a more secure and trusted environment for smartphone users and developers. Calendar, data synchronization, and e-mail have been improved to enable ease of use in various enterprise environments. E-mail synchronization supports OMA data synchronization 1.2 and OMA e-mail notification technology. The Series 60 platform - third edition release built-in security features offer more protection for business-critical data. OMA DRM 2.0 support for music content improves the usability as well as security of protected content. A stand-alone music player makes access to on-line music content easier. Smartphones based on the Series 60 platform - third edition release can function as a normal USB memory stick. The Series 60 platform - third edition release runs on Symbian OS v9.1.
Palm introduced the wildly popular Palm Pilot series in 1996. The Palm OS platform has made significant contributions in defining expectations for mobile computing. Palm OS 5 for asynchronous response mode (ARM)-compliant processors has been available to customers since 2002. Palm OS Garnet is an enhanced version of Palm OS 5 that provides features such as dynamic input area, improved network communication, and support for a broader range of screen resolutions, including QVGA [5]. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 is the next generation of Palm OS [6]. It is also a modern operating system designed from the ground up to enable new classes of smartphones and other wireless devices while maintaining the ease of use that users expect. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 will enable the creation of new categories of devices for the communications, enterprise, education, and entertainment markets.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 provides integrated telephony features, support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and enhancements to the user interface. Palm OS Garnet and Palm OS Cobalt retain application compatibility with existing 68 kbps-based applications. Palm OS is the operating system for a large selection of hardware devices including smartphones, handhelds, multimedia devices, game players, industrial, scientific, and educational tools. All Palm OS software generally runs on all Palm OS-powered devices, so users can mix and match the exact software they need with the hardware they require. Palm OS has been designed for making device usage simple and fast. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 focuses on enabling faster and more efficient development of smartphones and integrated wireless (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth) handhelds.
The Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 UI ensures that smartphone users have a consistent interface across all Palm OS Cobalt 6.1-based devices from all smartphone manufacturers. The Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 user interface operates with a color screen with support for a multitude of screen resolutions (QVGA, QVGA [240x240], 320x320 pixels, half-size VGA [HVGA], and VGA). It also implements landscape screen support with a hot switch that allows the screen to be switched between portrait and landscape mode. The Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 user interface includes support for two softkeys, five-way navigation, an application launching and swapping key, and call-creation and call-termination keys. In addition, its user interface uses a standard 12-key number keypad with letters and also has clear and edit keys to make text input easy.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 provides an extensive set of rich applications and enablers. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 application suite includes PalmSource Telephony application, PalmSource Messaging (MMS, SMS), PalmSource Mail (SMTP, POP3, IMAP4), PalmSource Web Browser 3.0 (HTML 4.01, XHTML MP, and WAP CSS), PalmSource Installer, PalmSource Media Gallery, PalmSource Camcorder application, and a variety of PIM applications (address book, date book, to-do list, and memo pad). RealPlayer for Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 supports local playback of MP3 and RealAudio content from inserted SD memory cards. PalmSource, in partnership with IBM, provides Java technology for Palm OS smartphones, enabling users to run a wide array of Java applications.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 offers extensible programming framework for creating advanced multimedia applications. It supports audio recording in mono or stereo, 8- to 16-bit, arbitrary sample rates. It also allows audio playback of up to 16 streams. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 includes a sound manager for mixing sound sources. Video playback and background audio playback is also present. Palm OS APIs provide access to audio/video hardware. Available codecs include MP3, MPEG-4, MPEG-1, advanced audio coding (AAC), H.263, adaptive multi-rate (AMR), and Ogg.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 security framework enforces enhanced privacy and protection services through native encryption, certificate management, and authentication and authorization services. In addition, it provides RC4 for encryption/decryption, secure hashing algorithm 1 (SHA-1) hashing, signature verification using RSAVerify, data encryption standard (DES)/message digest 5 (MD5) provider with DES-electronic codebook (ECB), DES-cipher block chaining (CBC), 3DES, MD5 SSL2, SSL3 (shared library available to all applications), certificate management APIs, and support for X.509v3 certificates. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 supports unicode standard version 3.0.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 implements a multithreaded kernel that supports the latest CPU architectures, peripherals, and internal and external memory types. It is also designed for multiple simultaneous displays, multiple display sizes, multiple display orientations, and graphics acceleration. Communication protocol stacks implemented include TCP/IP (dual-mode IPv4/v6), WAP 2.0 (connectionless wireless session protocol (WSP) and WAP push) for wide-area networking, and IrDA, Bluetooth, and USB for personal-area networking. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 supports GSM circuit-switched voice and data (CSD and EDGE CSD) and packet-based data (GPRS and EDGE GPRS), and CDMA circuit-switched voice, data, and packet-based data (IS-95 and 1xRTT).
PC-based synchronization is over serial, Bluetooth, infrared, or USB. A PC connectivity framework providing the ability to transfer files and synchronize PIM data is also present. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 is Wi-Fi ready. Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 supports wired equivalent privacy (WEP) security and development of third-party Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) solutions.
Palm OS Cobalt 6.1 is available to PalmSource licensees as a product development kit (PDK). A software development kit (SDK), which includes APIs, tools, and documentation, enables third-party software development. Palm OS developer suite 1.2 combines compilers, debuggers, simulators, PalmSource SDKs, and related tools into a comprehensive, integrated development suite. Palm OS Developer Suite 1.2 provides developers with a single, integrated tool chain based on open-source Eclipse IDE (licensed from IBM). Palm OS Simulator is Palm OS recompiled for a desktop machine processor. The Palm OS protein C/C++ compiler is a full-featured, standards-based, optimizing C/C++ compiler that produces ARM-executable files targeted for Palm OS Cobalt.
In 2003, Microsoft announced Windows Mobile, a new global brand for Microsoft software on mobile devices such as pocket PCs and smartphones [7]. The Windows Mobile brand is aimed at extending the Windows brand to the full range of mobile devices. It describes Microsoft software for PDAs and smartphones. Microsoft continues to use the terms Pocket PC and Smartphone to describe categories. "Pocket PC software" became "Windows Mobile software for Pocket PCs," and "smartphone software" became "Windows Mobile software for smartphones." The Designed for Windows Mobile logo is used to signify compatibility between third-party products and PDAs and smartphones that are powered by Windows Mobile software.
Windows Mobile smartphones are designed to provide smartphone users with a familiar Windows experience and also includes Microsoft Pocket Outlook, Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft Windows Media Player, and MSN Messenger. Microsoft Pocket Outlook allows smartphone users to access their calendars, contacts, and inboxes by synchronizing their desktop Outlook messaging exchange-server information or their POP3/IMAP4 e-mails to their smartphones. Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer software provides capability to browse Web pages and synchronized mobile favorites and also supports HTML and WAP color Web browsing. Windows Media Player supports local and wireless streaming audio and video playback on Windows Mobile-based smartphones. Windows Mobile smartphones have a built-in MSN Messenger client for instant messaging. The MSN Messenger client has core functionality and user interface that smartphone users are used to from their PC, modified to fit the Windows Mobile interface.
The Windows Mobile smartphone-multimedia engine enables recording, playback, and streaming of numerous audio and video formats. Platform security is enforced by a proactive system-defense mechanism based on granting and monitoring application capabilities through signed certification. In addition, full encryption and certificate management, secure protocols (HTTP secure [HTTPS], SSL, and TLS), and IP security (IPSec)/Layer-2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) virtual private networking (VPN) are also present. Windows Mobile smartphones support Unicode standard version 3.0.
Windows Mobile smartphones implement a multithreaded kernel that supports latest CPU architectures, peripherals, and internal and external memory types. Windows Mobile smartphones are designed for multiple simultaneous displays, multiple display sizes, multiple display orientations, and graphics acceleration. Communication protocol stacks implemented include TCP/IP (dual-mode IPv4/v6) and WAP 2.0 (connectionless WSP and WAP push) for wide-area networking and IrDA, Bluetooth, USB for personal area networking. Windows Mobile smartphone supports GSM circuit-switched voice and data (CSD) and packet-based data (GPRS). OTA synchronization is supported using ActiveSync to Microsoft Exchange 2003. PC-based synchronization is over serial, Bluetooth, Infrared, and USB. PC-application development in C++ is supported by mobile application development toolkit.
In April 2005, MontaVista Software announced Mobilinux 4.0 [8], an optimized Linux operating system and development environment designed for cellular handsets and mobile devices, with a focus on power management, hard real-time performance, fast start-up, and small footprint. Mobilinux 4.0 serves as the core of the Mobilinux open framework, an industry-wide program for the creation and promotion of Linux-based handset reference architectures. Mobilinux 4.0 delivers an open and flexible operating system enabling differentiated and cost-effective smartphone designs. It is actually based on the Linux 2.6 kernel and offers rapid boot time (less than a second).
Mobilinux 4.0 includes advanced power-management infrastructure to address minimum talk time and stand-by power requirements and to maximize the use of available power resources. Mobilinux 4.0 Power Manager implements dynamic power management (DPM), which improves power performance through adjustments on the fly. Mobilinux 4.0 advanced real-time technology allows smartphone vendors to handle both baseband and application processing with one chipset. Mobilinux 4.0 is optimized to a small footprint, which reduces the amount of Flash and RAM required for smartphones.
Embedded systems have real-time needs such as bounded pre-emption and interrupt latencies. Interrupt latency is defined as the time from the interrupting event to when the interrupt service routine is entered. Pre-emption latency is defined as the time from when a high-priority process becomes ready to run until it is scheduled to run. Linux 2.6 kernel implements pre-emptible kernel technology. Linux 2.6 with kernel pre-emption enabled has maximum pre-emption latencies of 50 ms and more. TDMA cellular phones need to process a TDMA frames every 4.6 milliseconds. This translates to a maximum latency guarantee of less than 500 microseconds to allow for required frame processing. Cellular phones offload time-critical processing to digital signal processors (DSPs), but cost constraints make the use of fast processors more economical if they can meet real-time constraints. Mobilinux 4.0 aims to provide maximum interrupt latencies of 100 microseconds and pre-emption latencies less than 1 millisecond.
Qtopia Phone Edition
Qtopia is Trolltech's application platform for Linux-based mobile computing devices such as PDAs and cellular phones. Qtopia provides graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for Linux-based PDAs and cellular phones. The Qtopia Phone Edition is designed for Linux-based smartphones and feature phones [9]. The Qtopia Phone Edition platform subsystem provides cellular-phone functionality and telephony features such as over-the-air configuration, SMS, MMS, GPRS, and a modem interface. Qtopia Phone Edition includes cellular phone applications for PIM, telephony (messaging client, dialer, and others), games, multimedia player, and settings. Qtopia Phone Edition enables smartphone users to synchronize their smartphones with Qtopia Desktop, a cross-platform desktop PIM suite from Trolltech (included with Qtopia Phone), or Microsoft Outlook.
Smartphone operating systems support a wide range of rich programming environments, including C++, Java, and Flash. Smartphones allow mobile-network operators, service providers, and smartphone users to enhance the functional capability of their devices by installing additional software after the device has been purchased. This allows smartphone users to customize and extend the capabilities of their smartphones and also enables network operators and service providers to roll out new services much more quickly than would be possible if they also had to provide new smartphones for their customers. Open smartphones enable applications and services on devices to be continually updated, generating revenue opportunities and driving greater data usage.
Code signing delivers the infrastructure and process necessary for identifying and verifying smartphone applications. It focuses on any data, content, or application that is bundled as an installation file. It is also a secure way of identifying a smartphone application, authenticating the developer of a smartphone application, testing the smartphone application against a defined set of criteria, and ensuring the smartphone application has not been changed since it was tested and signed. Code signing establishes a formal link between a smartphone application and its origin. It also builds trust and confidence in third-party applications and assists the industry in delivering high-quality applications to smartphone users. Typically, when smartphone users install an unsigned application, they will see an "unable to verify supplier" message, which can undermine their confidence in smartphone applications. Code-signed smartphone applications install without such a warning, which makes the experience for smartphone users significantly better. Smartphone-applications developers and distributors also have the opportunity of displaying the code-signed logo alongside their signed applications. Code signing unifies developer testing and quality assurance activities by providing a generic process that may be adopted and used by all parties. It encourages best practice in smartphone applications by building network operator and consumer trust and confidence in these applications. Code signing reduces duplication of testing requirements by network operators and reduces their costs. It also encourages the installation of add-on applications on smartphones.
Smartphones have numerous applications and enable an organization to extend its traditional computing infrastructure to its mobile workforce. PIM smartphone applications enable smartphone users to have instant access to their current calendar, contacts, and e-mail. Smartphone office applications such as Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, and Documents to Go allow smartphone users to work on documents and spreadsheets while on the go. Replacing paper-based business processes with forms-based applications on smartphones can result in significant advantages for a business. Capturing data at the point of origin in a digital, electronic form improves the accuracy of that data, reduces business-reporting time, and leads to faster, data-driven business decisions. Smartphone customer-relationship management (CRM) applications help streamline supply-chain operations and also track inventory features, inventory levels, and automate invoicing and scheduling, which in turn reduces downtime and customer visits. Smartphone enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications from SAP AG, Siebel, Microsoft, and J. D. Edwards & Co. provide the information and core services that support internal business operations. Smartphone versions of ERP applications improve productivity and reduce cost. Smartphone financial services applications include collecting on-site pictures and data for insurance-claims adjustment, stock trading, financial tracking, on-line banking, viewing real-estate listings, and mortgage processing.
Smartphone health care applications provide access to current patient information and patient prescriptions, track medicine administration, capture dictation, support in-home patient care, manage inventory, and monitor patients. Smartphone health care applications lower malpractice insurance due to automated systems and, at the same time, enable doctors to respond to prescription requests using lower-cost generic drugs due to automated checking of a patient's insurance coverage. Smartphone hospitality applications include curbside check-in by reading a customer's credit card, capturing a signature on a smartphone touchscreen, creating room keys, tracking inventories, managing cleaning operations, facilitating employee communication, and monitoring key hotel metrics. Smartphone manufacturing applications manage the flow of materials in manufacturing facilities and may remotely control the individual cells or equipment that make up the manufacturing process. Smartphone retail and distribution applications facilitate inventory management, tracking of packages, and improve customer satisfaction by providing faster customer service. Smartphone retail and distribution applications transform smartphones to point-of-sale terminals. Smartphones provide an Internet link that can be used for employee coordination, inventory tracking, ordering, and trend analysis.
Smartphone solutions show organizational investment in the employee. Smartphone solutions make work responsibilities more desirable by reducing time spent on menial or repetitive tasks. Smartphone users can also reference audio-visual training material, Flash presentations, e-books, and instruction manuals on the device, which can be carried and distributed to employees on high-capacity storage cards.
Paper is a slow, inaccurate medium for collecting data. Digital data collection on a smartphone reduces data collection time, improves data accuracy, and allows for faster business reporting. Automating data collection reduces time and frees up resources for more business transactions while improving customer satisfaction. Smartphones are designed to a sleek, lightweight form factor that integrates elegantly to a wearable handheld, making them more accessible to mobile workers than laptop PCs. Digital data collection using smartphones is significantly less tedious than paper-based data collection. Digital data collection provides high quality and more complete data. Smartphone digital data collection applications can have prepopulated data fields. Smartphone digital-data collection applications can alert users and data-collection personnel for unfilled mandatory data fields. Smartphone digital data-collection applications may also feature context-sensitive help menus that guide customers or data-collection personnel to better choices. Digital data collection can convert a serial paper-based process to parallel tasks supported by electronic forms on a smartphone and a back-end server on the Internet. Digital data collection can also feed into inventory management and automatic ordering systems.
Smartphone Internet applications enable organizations to develop extensible markup language (XML)-based broad-reach services. Master Web pages can be created and maintained on a Web server that automatically adjusts to match the smartphones' screen size and technology. XML Web interfaces extend enterprise systems securely to business partners opening up new sales channels. XML Web interfaces can provide real-time status information to customers and business partners.
Smartphone Internet applications can be programmed to operate in consistent as well as intermittently connected modes. They can be self-contained on the device and synchronize with a back-end server whenever wireless connectivity is available. Smartphone ERP applications are examples of intermittently connected Internet applications that provide services and personal information such as calendars and e-mail. Smartphone Internet-based messaging applications turn downtime into uptime by allowing smartphone users to access their e-mail away from the office. Some organizations view wireless e-mail solution deployments as on par with providing desk phones in offices.
Businesses have key milestones and metrics that have to be monitored daily. Notifications need to be sent when metric data does not align with acceptable operating ranges so that the organization can respond. Smartphone notification-enabled applications simplify administrative tasks and present key data metrics to smartphone users via graphical alerts. Reducing administrative overhead provides employees more time to focus on the core job role. Notification messages can be sent to smartphones over SMS or TCP/IP. Smartphone users can respond to notification messages by making a phone call, using an application on the smartphone, or accessing a Web site. Smartphone notification-enabled applications keep investment managers abreast of changes to the market, specific securities, and specific portfolios. They likewise provide comprehensive information to emergency personnel, which can help resolve the incident. Smartphone notification-enabled location services can provide information or directions to key points of interest that are in the proximity of a mobile worker's location.
Smartphones are open, standards-based devices. Smartphones offer an attractive alternative to customized devices. Replacing customized devices with more powerful smartphones may significantly reduce cost of ownership and provide a more flexible platform for mobile business solutions. Smartphones are available from a number of vendors and have lower hardware costs due to the economies of scale. Smartphones can possibly replace a number of devices, including cellular phones, personal organizers, pagers, calculators, cassette recorders, bar-code readers, magnetic-strip readers, and walkie-talkies. Smartphones have lower software-development costs, as a large developer community is already familiar with technologies such as .NET, C++, Java, and Linux. Smartphones are enabled for latest public wireless networking technologies (faster data rate and compression), which may reduce wireless service charges.
Smart mobile devices (smartphones and wireless handhelds) registered 74.5 percent year-on-year growth for the first quarter of 2006 [10]. Nokia is the leading vendor in the smart mobile devices segment with a 57 percent market share (Figure 2). Nokia shipments grew by 59.7 percent year on year for the first quarter of 2005, with the N70 proving to be highly popular.
Figure 2: Worldwide Converged Smart Mobile Devices Market for Q1 2006, Q1 2005 (Source: Canalys)
Global shipments of handhelds declined by 25 percent year on year for the first quarter of 2006 (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Worldwide Handheld Market Shares for Q1 2006, Q1 2005 (Source: Canalys)
[1] "11.70m Symbian OS shipments in Q1 2006," Symbian Press Release, www.symbian.com/news/pr/2006/pr20067918.html.
[2] "Symbian OS V9.3 Product Sheet," www.symbian.com/files/rx/file7999.pdf.
[3] "UIQ 3 Product Brochure," www.uiq.com/documentation.
[4] "S60 Platform 3rd Edition Overview," April 2006, www.s60.com/business/productinfo/softwareversions/3rdedition.
[5] "Palm OS Garnet," www.palmsource.com/palmos/garnet.html.
[6] "Palm OS Cobalt 6.1," www.palmsource.com/palmos/cobalt.html.
[7] "Microsoft Announces Windows Mobile, a Strategic Addition to the Windows Brand Family," Mobile Devices Division Press Release, June 23, 2003.
[8] "MontaVista Delivers Mobilinux," April 25, 2005, www.mvista.com/news/2005/mobilinux.html.
[9] "Trolltech Releases Qtopia Phone Edition to Customers," May 26, 2004, www.trolltech.com/newsroom/announcements/00000165.html.
[10] "Asia-Pacific region overtakes EMEA in smart mobile device shipments," Canalys research release 2006/043, April 25, 2006.
For more information, visit www.iec.org/pubs/print/smartphones.html.
