PROJECT DETAILS

Architecture and Security

The architecture and security group addresses the overarching security and architectural issues that need to be addressed in order to allow web application developers access security sensitive APIs, which access native device capability.

Application Packaging

Defines the precise mechanisms by which an application can both declare its identify and define any dependencies it may have on either device capability or other software components.

Example: An application may either be rendered as widget or web page- but the precision with which a policy may be applied is dependent upon the robustness of its identity model. Also an application which has functions dependent upon a physical camera can adjust functionality or notify user if on installation it is found there is no camera.

Extensible APIs

Where the functional interfaces define static mandatory APIs this workstream analyses the mechanism by which new APIs can be dynamically installed on the phone

Example: A new low level API is developed to make use of a video codec optimised for broadcast IP video. This API can be installed post point of sale, making viable a whole new efficient method of content delivery.

Policy Management

Defines the mechanisms by which policies can be changes/managed by remote entities

Example: When a user migrates from one operator to another, that part of the policy that determines what operator centric resources an application is allowed access to can be changed

Security Policy Definition

A precise, flexible and interoperable definition of when each application can access a particular resource, where an applications identity is determined by its security credentials.

Example: A policy is defined to only allow applications that have been tested by a specific testing house access to some network critical functions (such as network location). But still allows a user to selectively restrict this “personal” information from all or any applications this user determines.

Interfaces

The interfaces working group is scoped to define specific Javascript APIs that can be offered to web application developers

Application Invocation

API to instantiate native applications in the process physically handing over the user interfaces

Example: A social networking application offers you the opportunity to add your photo it does this by calling up the native camera application to instantly gather the phone using the UI the user is most familiar with

Application Settings

Provide a mechanism to manage application settings and user preferences

Example: An email widget can store pop3 and smtp settings, remembering user login credential and preferences of email presentation

Camera

Function calls that give an application developer direct access to the camera capability

Example: A webcam application - takes a picture or video from the phone but allows the timing to be remote controlled.

Communications Log

APIs that grant access to the list recent communications, including sent and received calls, text messages and emails

Example: A social networking site shows you the home page of recently communicated people. Also offers to connect you to recent contacts who are not currently linked to you.

Gallery

Function calls to manipulate the phone Gallery: core user generated and consumed data such as photos and videos, but also including users music and files

Example: A music website presents your taste in music by analysing you current collection and finding similar tracks

Location

Simple API that can asses phone current location, where API can be implemented by a variety of mechanism: CellID, AGPS, build in GPS, bluetooth GPS, WLAN estimates etc.

Example: Web based advertising can be enhance to factor on users current locations substantially increasing the relevance and value for consumer and advertiser alike.

Messaging

Function calls to interact with the core messaging capability of the phone, including email, SMS and MMS

Example: A website hosting broadcast/IP TV offers the user to opportunity to vote online, by integrating with the SMS capability of the phone

Persistent Data

APIs that an application can use to store data on the device that it can access subsquently, directly, without a live internet connection

Example: A news reader application can cache the most recent news on periodic basis, giving a better user experiece to the user by avoiding network latencies.

Personal Information

Function calls to view and manipulate the commons set of PIM data, including calendar, task notes but most importantly contacts.

Example: Social meeting invites , arranged from a web site can be automatically scheduled and inserted into phone calendar, also allowing invitees contact details to be fully reconciled with personal contact list on the users phone.

Phone Status

Comprehensive collection of functions to query the current status of the phone. Including, battery life, network status to more advanced functions such as accelerometers.

Example: Before downloading a large video file, a web application checks current battery status and progresses only if it anticipated that the download will complete before the battery will run out

User Interaction

A set of APIs that gives a widget or website far better control of how it manifest itself on phone as opposed to standard web rendering. Including, minimise/maximise functions, window size, alerting mechanisms etc.

Example: A news alert widget, keeps itself minimised in the background until a new update is received. When received, it maximises and gives an audio alert that is consistent with the phones availability setting: ie tone on normal, vibrate only on meeting setting.