OKI Unveils Platform for Developing Business Applications for Android Devices

High-performance mobile terminals, including smartphones and tablets, have proliferated rapidly, raising expectations for business use. However, numerous technological challenges must be met before mobile terminals can handle full-scale business tasks reliably. These challenges include unpredictable mobile network status, rapid turnover in mobile phone models, constraints on battery life, and issues related to the security of data stored in terminals. Moreover, applications development must also address differing networks and terminal specifications, as well as issues related to mounting middleware on Android smartphone devices.



MoBiz Platform is a middleware product line that allows developers to create business applications quickly and easily for smartphones and tablets for a wide range of business applications, regardless of enterprise scale. An optimized three-layer system(*2) realizes a mobile business system that combines the advantages of local applications (high usability unaffected by telecommunications environment and the flexibility to meet various needs) with the advantages of web applications, while duly accounting for issues related to data security and the dependability of various mobile phone models.



MoBiz Platform Ver.1.1 for Android provides a framework for running mobile applications at all times on a wide range of Android devices, while duly accounting for unstable communication environments, the rapid succession of new mobile phone models, battery life constraints, and data security, said Yuichiro Hiranuma, General Manager of Software Center, IT Solutions and Services Business Division at OKI. It allows the development of applications with general Web application technologies like JavaEE, HTML, and JavaScript and frees system developers from the need to master specialized technical skills for each mobile system.



MoBiz Platform Ver.1.1 for Android consists of MoBiz Platform Client, (installed on the terminal) and MoBiz Platform Server (installed on the server). It will be available in the following two formats:



* System consignments for enterprises



OKI will develop and provide a mobile business system required by the customer, based on MoBiz Platform.

* Sales of MoBiz Platform to systems developers



OKI will offer and promote MoBiz Platform to system developers who plan to develop mobile business applications.



Additionally, OKI will promote a semi-order business style in which OKI prepares an application package that works on MoBiz Platform in advance. This will then be provided to customers, based on specific requirements.