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Developers, vendors don't share wireless gusto

Many developers cautious about wireless development

By Matt Berger, IDG News Service, 03/27/02

March 27, 2002 -- Every technology conference has its call to action, and the JavaOne Conference and Expo did not fall short, as vendors here have rallied around the concept of building a new class of Java applications that can be delivered wirelessly to cell phones and handheld computing devices.

Developers attending JavaOne have heard that call, but many said they are putting on hold any plans to answer it.

"Hype always rules first," said Shawn McKenna, a software engineer with Modesto, Calif., software maker Synovation, which makes software for county criminal justice systems. "There's been a lot of talk about wireless here. Wireless may be the future, but right now it's just hype."

Major telecommunication carriers, including Sprint PCS Group and Nextel Communications, have generated their share of hype. Sprint delivered a new set of tools for Java developers to begin building applications that would be delivered to cell phones over the Sprint PCS 3G network, which is set to launch in the US around June, executives from the company said.

Despite the push from carriers, with an initial focus on the development of consumer applications such as video games, enterprise developers attending JavaOne said they are cautious about enabling their corporate applications to be accessed over wireless networks.

Martin Hanf, managing director of Finance Online, a banking software consulting firm based in Zurich, said he has many concerns about the state of Java-based wireless technology that holds him back from recommending such technology to his customers, which include banks and insurance companies.

"Some of our customers have an interest in wireless, but I can't say the level of security is ready," Hanf said. "How do you prevent your data from getting in the wrong hands?"

Ashish Ahuja, a senior application architect for Kemper Insurance Co., based in Long Grove, Ill., shared a similar concern over the security level available in the current wave of development tools.

"Security, I guess, is the biggest concern right now," said Ahuja, who has been toying around with wireless application development for about three months.

The Java specifications enabling developers to build applications delivered over wireless networks to Java-enabled devices lack security, some developers said. One sign that additional security support is needed is clear in the announcement from Sprint PCS regarding the new version of its wireless toolkit released here. The company has included its own set of APIs in its tools that add additional security protocols for building wireless applications, according to John Yuzdepski, vice president and general manager of SprintPCS.com.

Aside from security concerns, the cost of developing new corporate applications also poses a risk to quick adoption. The ongoing slump in the IT industry has not helped, Ahuja said.

"Because of budget issues we're not doing any wireless development," he said, reflecting on customer trends in the insurance industry. "If we can convince our customers that it will help in the field -- for instance, allow claim adjusters to access data on a handheld -- then we'll do it."

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

 

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