Mobile Web Applications Development: widget ecosystems, runtime, distribution and monetization

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• A new era for mobile device vendors
  • Revenue growth from handset sales is no longer sustainable
  • Why mobile content and widgets are so important to OEMs
• Changes in the value chain pushing operators to new strategies
  • The failure of the walled-garden model and its consequences
  • Why widgets are important to operators
• Internet user experience: mobile vs. desktop
• Widget evolution and trends
• Widget' s role in context-based applications and services
  • Figure 1.1: Widget mashups in three dimensions: Web, networks and devices
• The multiplication of standard bodies and challenges of fragmentation
  • Figure 1.2: Standardization approaches and overlaps related to widget development
• Mobile widget runtime market evolution
  • Figure 1.3: Mobile widget runtime market evolution

CHAPTER 2

• THE CHANGING MOBILE HANDSET MARKET LANDSCAPE
• Handset market segmentation and evolution
• Mobile handset market segmentation by feature set
  • Basic phones
  • Low-feature phones
  • Feature-rich phones
• Global mobile handset market trends and forecasts
  • Figure 2.1: Global mobile handset sales, by technology segmentation, 2008-2014
• Mobile Internet trends and evolution
• Internet user experience: mobile vs. desktop
• The role of widgets in enhancing the overall mobile Internet experience
• Mobile Internet forecasts, 2008-2013
  • Figure 2.2: Global mobile services revenues and mobile Internet market share, 2008-2013
• The mobile application store phenomenon
• Industry dynamics
  • Figure 2.3: Key mobile application stores: Addressable market, supporting
• Market fragmentation
• Market opportunities and challenges for OEMs
  • What the mobile application store means for handset vendors
  • What are the challenges?
• Market opportunities and challenges for operators
  • What the application store means for mobile operators
  • What are the challenges?
• What application store means for OTTs and software solution providers

CHAPTER 3

• ENHANCING THE MOBILE BROWSING EXPERIENCE
• The mobile Internet user experience
• Web markup language evolution from WAP to XHTML and HTML 5
  • Figue 3.1: Evolution of mobile markup languages (1995-2009)
• Mobile browser market segmentation
• Segmentation by implementation process: pre-installed vs. installed later
• Technology segmentation
• Scripting technologies: standards-based vs. proprietary technologies
  • Figure 3.2: Types of JavaScript dialects and engines supported by Web browsers and Web runtimes
• Dynamic content in mobile: The role of AJAX and alternative technologies
  • Figure 3.3: Characteristics of AJAX-based Web applications vs. native applications on mobile phones
• Embedded vs. downloaded microbrowsers
  • Figure 3.4: Sample of mobile Web browsers with a summary of their characteristics
  • Figure 3.5: Rendering vs. optimization: Vendor choice and connection with browsers
• Evolution of the mobile browser technology
• Browser as development environment
• Mobile browsers and their support for widget runtime
  • Figure 3.6: Mobile Web browsers and their support for mobile Web runtimes (plug-in and stand-alone)
• Future outlook and market development
• On-Device Portal (ODP) technology
• The on-device portal market
  • Figure 3.7: Comparison between a WAP portal and an on-device portal
  • Figure 3.8: Sample of current ODP vendors and their support for widgets and idle screen integration
• Challenges for ODPs and the mobile Web runtime opportunity
  • Figure 3.9: Sample of current MWRT vendors and partners that provide an ODP solution
• ODP evolution, revenue models and trends
• Active Idle Screen (AIS) technology
  • Figure 3.10: Components of an idle screen' s real estate
• Major changes in the active idle screen (AIS) market
• Challenges to the current AIS and mobile Web runtime (MWRT) opportunity
  • Figure 3.11: Sample of MWRT vendors that provide an idle screen solution
• AIS evolution, revenue models and trends
• Market dynamics of mobile widgets: native vs. Web-based technologies
• Different flavors
  • Figure 3.12: Examples of mobile widgets that are powered by mobile Web runtimes
  • Figure 3.13: Typical deployment of a widget platform supported by a server back end
• Value proposition and market opportunities
  • Figure 3.14: Widget handset market positioning
• User experience: Web widgets vs. Web browsers
  • Figure 3.15: Problems with full mobile Web browsing and the widgets value proposition
  • Figure 3.16: Comparison between mobile widgets, WAP and native mobile applications
• Widget runtime: native vs. Web-based technologies
  • Figure 3.17: Sample of mobile Web runtime vendors that support widgets
• Widget evolution and trends
• Content optimization
• Is mobile Internet a subset of desktop internet?
• Different flavors of content optimization and repurposing
  • Figure 3.18: General architecture of a transcoding proxy
  • Figure 3.19: Examples of mobile content optimization proxy solution providers and their main clients .
  • Figure 3.20: Advantages and disadvantages of mobile optimization proxies
• Impact on mobile Web browsing and widget use
• Optimization proxies: market trends and product positioning

CHAPTER 4

• EVOLUTION OF MOBILE WIDGET ECOSYSTEMS
• Mobile Web runtime (MWRT) opportunities and challenges
• Mobile Web runtime architecture and applications
  • Figure 4.1: Mobile Web runtime architecture
• Advantages of mobile Web runtime for application development
• The business case for mobile Web runtime
• Mobile Web runtime market and competition
  • Figure 4.2: Mobile Web runtime providers and their customers
• Evolution of mobile Web runtime
  • Figure 4.3: Evolution towards mobile Web runtime and rich Internet applications
• Four criteria in selecting a mobile Web runtime
• Challenges of mobile Web runtime development
  • Fragmentation
  • Application porting from desktop to mobile
  • Access to device and network APIs
  • Application security
  • Application packaging and distribution
  • Application usability
  • Application monetization
  • Copyright and privacy issues
• Different approaches to widget ecosystems
• Different ways of segmenting mobile widget ecosystems
• Different execution environments
  • Over pre-installed terminal runtime, such as Java ME
  • Over a Web runtime, with optional support for plug-ins
  • Over proprietary client-server architecture
  • Over server-side widgets
  • Over a virtualization layer
    • Figure 4.4: Different approaches to mobile widget runtime execution
    • Figure 4.5: Comparison of mobile widget execution models
• Different distribution channels
  • Handset-centric distribution
  • Client-server distribution
  • Server-centric distribution
  • Server-based widgets
    • Figure 4.6: Comparison of mobile widget execution models
• Other key factors in segmenting mobile widget ecosystems
  • Figure 4.7: Mobile widget runtime characteristics: Terminal runtime-based platforms
  • Figure 4.8: Mobile widget runtime characteristics: Terminal runtime-based platforms (with plug-in) .
  • Figure 4.9: Mobile widget runtime characteristics: Web engine-based platforms (with no plug-in)
  • Figure 4.10: Mobile widget runtime characteristics: Client-server based platforms
  • Figure 4.11: Mobile widget runtime characteristics: Server-based platforms
• Different revenue models
  • Figure 4.12: Revenue model for each mobile widget runtime vendor
• A widget ecosystem as an enabler of mobile service mashups
  • Access to Web, device and network APIs
    • Figure 4.13: Examples of widget API integration
    • Figure 4.14: Evolution of Web, device and network APIs in mobile application development
    • Figure 4.15: Level of support of various mobile Web runtime vendors to different APIs
  • Web APIs
  • Device APIs
    • Figure 4.16: Commitments of different mobile Web runtime vendors to various device APIs
  • Network APIs
    • Figure 4.17: Operators opening up their network APIs through GSMA OneAPI
• Widget mashups
  • Figure 4.18: Widget mashups in three dimensions: Web, networks and devices
  • Figure 4.19: The role of APIs in building synergies between devices networks and the web: some concrete examples
• Standardization trends to reduce fragmentation and security risks in the mobile software value chain
• The burden of fragmentation
• the mobile Web development environment less fragmented?
• The multiplication of standard bodies and challenges
  • Figure 4.20: Standardization bodies
  • Figure 4.21: Standardization approaches and overlaps related to widget development
  • W3C
    • Figure 4.22: W3C Widgets compliance
  • OMTP' s BONDI
  • Joint Innovation Labs (JIL)
  • GSMA OneAPI
    • Figure 4.23: Operators supporting GSMA OneAPI
  • Khronos Group
  • OpenAjax Alliance (OAA)
• Future outlook and technology trends
• Mobile widget runtime market evolution
  • Figure 4.24: Open Web vs. proprietary approach to the implementation of mobile widgets
  • Figure 4.25: Mobile Web runtime market evolution
• Future market outlook
  • Product differentiation and new opportunities
  • New revenue models for widget ecosystems
• Future technology outlook
  • Context-based applications based on device APIs/Web mashups
  • Context-based applications based on network APIs/ Web mashups
  • Fragmentation and the role of standardization

CHAPTER 5

• WIDGET ECOSYSTEM QUADRANTS AND VENDOR POSITIONING
• Widget ecosystem quadrants
  • Figure 5.1: Mobile widget runtime ecosystem quadrants and vendor positioning
  • Figure 5.2: Advantages of closed and open mobile widget runtime platforms
• Qualcomm Plaza
• Company overview
• Widget products and enabling solutions
  • Plaza Mobile Internet
    • Figure 5.3: Qualcomm' s Plaza Mobile Internet
    • Figure 5.4: Plaza Mobile Internet widget development and distribution lifecycle
  • Plaza Retail
• Revenue model for Plaza Mobile Internet and Plaza Retail
• Customers and partners
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.5: Qualcomm' s Plaza Mobile Internet value propositions
  • Figure 5.6: SWOT analysis for Qualcomm' s widgets strategy
• Sun Microsystems
• Company overview
• Application and runtime solutions
  • JavaFX mobile
    • Figure 5.7: Marketplace for Sun' s JavaFX
  • Java ODP
    • Figure 5.8: Types of Java ODP widgets
    • Figure 5.9: Marketplace for Sun' s ODP
  • Project Vector
• Revenue model
• Customers and partners
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.10: SWOT analysis for Sun' s JavaFX strategy
• Adobe Flash Platform and AIR Mobile
• Company overview
• Adobe Flash platform and Flex for mobile
  • Figure 5.11: Marketplace for Adobe' s AIR, Flash Player and Flash Lite, and Mobile Client
  • Figure 5.12: Adobe' s mobile runtimes
  • Adobe AIR
  • Adobe AIR Marketplace
  • Flash Lite Distributable Player
  • Adobe Mobile Client
  • Flash Cast ecosystem
• Revenue model for Adobe Mobile Platform
  • AIR Mobile and Flash Lite
  • Flash Distributable Player
  • Adobe Mobile Client
  • Flash Cast ecosystem
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.13: Adobe AIR Mobile strategy SWOT analysis
• Access
• Company overview
• Netfront solutions
  • Netfront Browser
  • Netfront Widgets
    • Figure 5.14: Downloadable vs. pre-installed Netfront Widgets player
    • Figure 5.15: The Netfront Widget player
  • Revenue model
  • Customers and partners
    • Figure 5.16: Access Netfront Widgets customers, Jun-09
  • Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
    • Figure 5.17: SWOT analysis for Access Netfront' s widget strategy
• Microsoft
• Company overview
• Widget products and solutions
  • Silverlight Mobile
    • Figure 5.18: Microsoft' s Silverlight Mobile
  • IE Mobile 6 widget runtime
    • Figure 5.19: Examples of Microsoft IE Mobile 6 widgets
  • The link with Windows Marketplace for Mobile
• Revenue models
  • Silverlight Mobile
  • IE Mobile widgets
  • Windows Marketplace for Mobile
• Customers and partners
  • Silverlight Mobile
  • IE Mobile widgets
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Technology strengths and weaknesses
  • Market opportunities
  • Market threats
    • Figure 5.20: SWOT analysis for Microsoft' s mobile widget strategy
• Google
• Company overview
• Widget products and solutions
  • Google Gears
    • Figure 5.21: Google Gears
  • Android
    • Figure 5.22: Google search widget on Android using AppWidget framework
• Business models
  • Google Gears
  • Android
• Customers and partners
  • Google Gears
  • Android
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis for Gears
  • Figure 5.23: SWOT analysis for Google' s Gears strategy
• Azingo
• Company overview
• Widget products and solutions
  • Figure 5.24: Azingo' s widget Web Runtime architecture
  • Figure 5.25: Azingo' s Web Runtime modules
  • Figure 5.26: Azingo' s Mobile Web Runtime
• Business case and revenue model
• Customers and partners
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.27: SWOT analysis for Azingo' s widget strategy
• SurfKitchen
• Company overview
• Products and solutions
  • Figure 5.27: SurfKitchen' s platform
  • Figure 5.28: SurfKitchen Mobile Web Runtime
• Revenue model
• Customers and partners
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.29: SWOT analysis for SurfKitchen' s widget strategy
• Novarra
• Company overview
• Products and solutions
  • Figure 5.30: Novarra' s Vision platform
  • Figure 5.31: Novarra' s mobile Web runtime
• Revenue model
• Customers and partners
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.32: SWOT analysis for Novarra' s widget strategy
• Nokia Web Runtime (WRT)
• Company overview
• Nokia involvement in the widget ecosystem
  • Are S40 devices widget-less without WidSets?
  • Nokia WRT
    • Figure 5.33: Handset models supporting WRT 1.1, Jul-09
    • Figure 5.34: Nokia Web Runtime platform
  • The link with Symbian Foundation and Horizon project
• Revenue model of Nokia WRT
• Customers and partners of Nokia WRT
• Strategy and vision including SWOT analysis
  • Figure 5.35: SWOT analysis for Nokia WRT strategy

CHAPTER 6

• TRENDS OF MOBILE APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT
• The cycle of customer need
  • Figure 6.1: The cycle of customer need
• Relationship of operators with developer community
  • Figure 6.2: Application development cycle and time to monetization from the mobile operator portal
• Changing operator culture
• Developer attention is shifting
• Will application stores change the game?
• Application development: Web vs. native or both?
• Mobile native application environment
• Web application development environment
• Widgets and operator-branded app stores
  • Figure 6.3: Three centers of gravity for Web applications development
• Value proposition for developing Web applications and widgets
• Hybrid applications: the balance between Web and native development environments
  • Figure 6.4: Software platforms for hybrid applications development
• Mobile Widget ecosystem and the role of open source
• The business case for open source
  • Figure 6.5: Advantages of adopting open source
• The role of open source in MWRT development
• MWRT vendors activities in relation to open source
  • Figure 6.6: Selection of some WRT vendors' activities in relation to open source
  • Figure 6.7: Sample of open source MWRTs
• The WebKit phenomenon and its influence
• Could Mozilla Firefox Mobile (Fennec) compete with the WebKit?
  • Figure 6.8: Summary of mobile Web browsers and MWRTs based on open-source Web engines

CHAPTER 7

• CROSS-PLATFORMIZATION
• The role of cross-platformization in offering a seamless widget experience
• The cross-platformization phenomenon
  • Figure 7.1: Cross-platformization scenarios
  • Figure 7. 2: Summary of cross-platformization approaches
• Enabling widgets across multiple device types
• Enabling widgets across multiple OSs
• Enabling multiple widgets formats on the same device
  • Figure 7.3: Comparison of the different approaches of mobile widget format enablers
• Is virtualization the right solution for cross-platformization?
• Virtualization as cross-platform widget ecosystem enabler
  • Figure 7.4 Virtualization in the context of MWRT
  • Figure 7.5: Characteristics of the two virtualization approaches
• Middleware-level virtualization
• Hardware-level virtualization
  • Figure 7.6: Advantages of hardware-level virtualization
  • Figure 7.7: Virtualization platforms and supported OSs
  • Issues with hardware-level virtualization

CHAPTER 8

• OPERAOR AND VENDOR STRATEGIES
• OEMs
• Why mobile content and widgets are so important to OEMs
• Nokia
• Motorola
• Samsung
• LG
• Apple
• Palm
• Operators
• Why widgets are important to operators
• Device APIs vs. network APIs
  • Figure 8.1: Device APIs vs. network APIs and operator positioning
• Mobile operators rationalizing on terminal platforms
  • Advantages of rationalization
  • Operator choices
    • Figure 8.2: Key terminal software platforms supported by the leading operators
• Different scenarios for deploying mobile widget solutions
• Mobile widget runtime: axes of differentiation
• Widget ecosystem deployment and operators' business models
  • Figure 8.3: Evaluation of mobile widget ecosystem requirements as a function of OEMs' business models
• Widget ecosystem deployment and OEM business models
  • Figure 8.4: Evaluation of mobile widget ecosystem requirements as a function of OEMs' business models