WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a technical standard for accessing information over a mobile wireless network.Users can access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smartphone and communicators. WAP supports most wireless networks. These include CDPD, CDMA, GSM, PDC, PHS, TDMA, FLEX, ReFLEX, iDEN, TETRA, DECT, DataTAC, and Mobitex.
The WAP Forum now has over 500 members and represents over 95 percent of the global handset market. Companies such as Nokia, Motorola and Ericsson are all members of the forum.
The objective of the forum is to create a license-free standard that brings information and telephony services to wireless devices.
Why is WAP Important?
Until the first WAP devices emerged, the Internet was the Internet and a mobile phone was a mobile phone. You could surf the Net, do serious research, or be entertained on the Internet using your computer. But this was limited to your computer.
Now with the appearance of WAP, the scene is that we have the massive information, communication, and data resources of the Internet becoming more easily available to anyone with a mobile phone or communications device.
WAP, being open and secure, is well suited for many different applications, including but not limited to stock market information, weather forecasts, enterprise data and games.
Despite the common misconception, developing WAP applications requires only a few modifications to existing web applications. The current set of web application development tools will easily support WAP development, and in the future more development tools will be announced.
WAP Microbrowser:
To browse a standard internet site you need a web browser. Similar way to browse a WAP enables website you would need a micro browser. A Micro Browser is a small piece of software that makes minimal demands on hardware, memory and CPU. It can display information written in a restricted mark-up language called WML. Although tiny in memory footprint, it supports many features and is even scriptable.
Today, all the WAP enabled mobile phones or PDAs are equipped with these micro browsers so that you can take full advantage of WAP technology.
The WAP Architecture:
Any WAP enable system consists of :
a) WAP Gateway
b) the HTTP Web Server
c) the WAP Device
Birth of WAP:
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is a result of joint efforts taken by companies teaming up in an industry group called WAP Forum.
On June 26 1997 Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, and Unwired Planet took the initiative to start a rapid creation of a standard for making advanced services within the wireless domain a reality. In December 1997 WAP Forum was formally created, and after the release of the WAP 1.0 specifications in April 1998, WAP Forum membership was opened to all.
The objective of the forum is to create a license-free standard that brings information and telephony services to wireless devices.
Why is WAP Important?
Until the first WAP devices emerged, the Internet was the Internet and a mobile phone was a mobile phone. You could surf the Net, do serious research, or be entertained on the Internet using your computer. But this was limited to your computer.
Now with the appearance of WAP, the scene is that we have the massive information, communication, and data resources of the Internet becoming more easily available to anyone with a mobile phone or communications device.
WAP, being open and secure, is well suited for many different applications, including but not limited to stock market information, weather forecasts, enterprise data and games.
Despite the common misconception, developing WAP applications requires only a few modifications to existing web applications. The current set of web application development tools will easily support WAP development, and in the future more development tools will be announced.
WAP Microbrowser:
To browse a standard internet site you need a web browser. Similar way to browse a WAP enables website you would need a micro browser. A Micro Browser is a small piece of software that makes minimal demands on hardware, memory and CPU. It can display information written in a restricted mark-up language called WML. Although tiny in memory footprint, it supports many features and is even scriptable.
Today, all the WAP enabled mobile phones or PDAs are equipped with these micro browsers so that you can take full advantage of WAP technology.
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