Wachemo University

College of Engineering and Technology

School of Computing and Informatics
Department of Software Engineering

MOBILE PROGRAMMING(SE2034)

BY FIKREAB LOPISO
 CHAPTER ONE: Introduction to mobile Programming

Introduction to mobile communication

Mobile Technology
Mobile Operating Systems
Taxonomy for Mobile Handsets
Survey of Mobile Device
Application of Mobile Computing
Challenge of Mobile Computing
 Introduction

In the traditional computing environment users come to a computer,

which is connected to other computers, to networks, and to servers with
wires. The need to be linked by wires limits the use of computers and
makes it difficult or impossible for people on the move to use them.
Mobile Computing is a technology that allows transmission of data,
voice and video via a computer or any other wireless enabled device
without having to be connected to a fixed physical link. The main
concept involves:
Mobile communication
 Mobile hardware
 Mobile software
 Mobile Communication

The mobile communication in this case, refers to the

infrastructure put in place to ensure that seamless and reliable
communication goes on. These would include devices such as
protocols, services, bandwidth, and portals necessary to
facilitate and support the stated services. The data format is also
defined at this stage. This ensures that there is no collision with
other existing systems which offer the same service.
Since the media is unguided/unbounded, the overlaying
infrastructure is basically radio wave-oriented. That is, the
signals are carried over the air to intended devices that are
capable of receiving and sending similar kinds of signals.
 Mobile Hardware

Mobile hardware includes mobile devices or device components

that receive or access the service of mobility. They would range
from portable laptops, smartphones, tablet PCs, Personal
Digital Assistants(PDA’s).
These devices will have a receptor medium that is capable
of sensing and receiving signals. These devices are configured
to operate in full-duplex, whereby they are capable of sending
and receiving signals at the same time. They don't have to wait
until one device has finished communicating for the other device
to initiate communications.
 Mobile Software

Mobile software is the actual program that runs on the mobile

hardware. It deals with the characteristics and requirements
of mobile applications. This is the engine of the mobile device.
The operating system is the essential component that operates
the mobile device.
Since portability is the main factor, this type of computing
ensures that users are not tied or pinned to a single physical
location, but are able to operate from anywhere. It incorporates
all aspects of wireless communications.
 Mobile Technology 
is the technology used for cellular communication.
Since the start of this millennium, a standard mobile device
has gone from being no more than a simple two-
way pager to being a mobile phone , GPS navigation device,
an embedded web browser and instant messaging client,
and a handheld game console and other activities.
Many experts argue that the future of computer
technology rests in mobile computing with wireless
networking.
Mobile computing by way of tablet computers are becoming
more popular.
 Mobile technologies mainly Varies on:

1. Networking it supports
2G, 3G, 4G, & 5G
2. Operating System
Symbian
Android
BADA
Windows
Firefox,
ios, …etc
3. Memory Capacity
4. Multimedia support, …etc.
 Mobile Operating System
A mobile operating system, also referred to as mobile OS, is the Operating System that
operates a smart phones, tablet, PDA, or other digital mobile device.
Modern mobile operating systems combine the features of a personal computer operating
system with other features, including :
Touch screen
cellular
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
GPS mobile navigation
camera
video camera
speech recognition
voice recorder
Music player
Infrared Blaster …etc.
 Common software platforms

The top ten most common mobile operating systems from the latest are as
follows:-
Android
Apple iOS
Blackberry OS
Symbian OS
Firefox OS
Windows 8
Ubuntu Mobile
Tizen OS
Bada OS
BREW OS
 Android
Android
 is a Linux-based operating system designed primarily for
touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet
computers
The first Android-powered phone was sold in October 2008.

Android is open source and Google releases the code under the Apache

License.
open-source code and permissive licensing allows the software to be

freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless
carriers and enthusiast developers.
Android has a large community of developers writing applications

("apps") that extend the functionality of devices, written primarily in a
customized version of the Java programming language.
 …Continued

 has additional applications on televisions, games consoles,

digital cameras and other electronics.
In July 2013 there were 11,868 different models of Android
device, scores of screen sizes and eight OS versions
simultaneously in use.
As of May 2013, 48 billion apps have been installed from the
Google Play store.
September 3, 2013, there have been 1 billion Android devices
activated.
 Apple iOS
Apple iOS is from Apple Inc.
 It is closed source and proprietary and built on open source
Darwin core OS.
 The Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and second-generation
Apple TV all use an operating system called iOS, which is derived
from Mac OS X.
Native third party applications were not officially supported until
the release of iOS 2.0 on July 11, 2008.
Currently all iOS devices are developed by Apple and
manufactured by Foxconn or another of Apple's partners
 Blackberry OS(RIM)

BlackBerry OS is from BlackBerry.

 It is closed source and proprietary.
 This OS is focused on easy operation and was originally designed for
business.
 Recently it has seen a surge in third-party applications and has been
improved to offer full multimedia support.
Currently Blackberry's App World has over 50,000 downloadable
applications.
 Blackberry's future strategy will focus on the newly acquired QNX,
having already launched the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet running a
version of QNX and expecting the first QNX smartphones in early 2012
 Symbian OS
Symbian OS is from Nokia and Accenture.
 It uses an open public license.
 Symbian has the largest smartphone share in most markets worldwide, but
lags behind other companies in the relatively small but highly visible North
American market.
It has been used by many major handset manufacturers, including BenQ,
Fujitsu, LG, Mitsubishi, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sharp and Sony Ericsson.
Current Symbian-based devices are being made by Fujitsu, Nokia, Samsung,
Sharp and Sony Ericsson.
Recently, though shipments of Symbian devices have increased, the operating
system's worldwide market share has declined from over 50% to just over 40%
from 2009 to 2010.
 Firefox OS
Firefox OS is a Linux-based open-source operating system for
smartphones and tablet computers.
It is being developed by Mozilla, the non-profit organization best known
for the Firefox web browser
Firefox OS was publicly demonstrated in February 2012, on Android-
compatible smartphones.
In January 2013, at CES 2013, ZTE confirmed they would be shipping a
smartphone with Firefox OS
July 2, 2013, Telefónica launched the first commercial Firefox OS based
phone
ZTE Open, in Spain which was quickly followed by Geeks Phone's Peak+
 Windows 8

Windows 8 is Microsoft's newest operating system.

Design not only for PCs, Windows 8 is also for Tablets and
Smartphones
Thousands of apps can be downloaded at their store.
The new OS from Microsoft has its unique metro style UI
 Ubuntu Mobile
Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning 'humanity to
others'.
Now Ubuntu's simplicity and elegance will be on your phone.
Ubuntu for phone is hoped to compete with leading proprietary
platforms.
They also provide resources for developers
 Tizen Os

Tizen is hosted by the Linux Foundation and support from the LiMo
Foundation, guided by a Technical Steering Group composed of Intel and
Samsung.
Tizen is an operating system for devices including smartphones, tablets, in-
vehicle infotainment (IVI) devices, and smart TVs.
It is an open source system that aims to offer a consistent user experience across
devices.
Tizen's main components are the Linux kernel and the WebKit runtime.
According to Intel, Tizen “combines the best of LiMo and MeeGo.“
Tizen will be targeted at a variety of platforms such as handsets, tablets, smart
TVs and in-vehicle entertainment.
On May 17, 2013, Tizen released version 2.1, code-named Nectarine
 Badas OS

Samsung bada is a smartphone platform, which is created for

wide range of device, unveiled in 2010.
 "Bada" is a Korean word that means "ocean" and "seashore".
"bada" in itself embodies the open possibilities of the ocean: it
can accommodate the various applications created by
developers and it provides an interesting new space that offers
unprecedented enjoyment to its users.
 Bada is a new blue ocean of mobile applications for developers,
and customers will have a wider choice of smartphones with
cost-effective yet powerful bada-powered phones
 BREW OS

BREW is an application development platform by Qualcomm for

CDMA mobile Phones.
 BREW is used by LG CDMA, Huawei, INQ Mobile, Amoi, and
Samsung are some manufactures that uses BREW OS
 Taxonomy for Mobile Handsets
1. Programming Features:- characterize the programming
capabilities of a mobile handset. Studying these
capabilities allows us to determine the programmability
of cell phone platforms and how usable and accessible
these are to developers.
 Memory:-This feature characterizes whether the mobile
handset has internal or external memory, as well as
its size.
Operating System and Software Platforms:- In terms of
the Operating System, we have divided the mobile
handsets into proprietary and open source software.
 ….Continued

2. Service Features :- Explore the hardware and multimedia

characteristics present on mobile handsets that might have an
impact on the type and the quality of the service or application.
Type and Resolution of Screen
Battery Life
Music Player
Camera
Location
 ….Continued

3. Connectivity Features:- The connectivity features provide an

understanding of the types of connectivity with the outside
world offered by mobile handsets.
Type of Network
EMS
MMS
Bluetooth
Mobile Web and Wi-Fi
4. Economic Features:- is a unique indicator to model the
economic features of mobile handsets: the price.
 Survey of Mobile Devices
The first hand-held mobile phone was demonstrated by John F.
Mitchell and Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973.
 In 1983, the DynaTAC 8000x was the first to be commercially
available.
The first smartphone was developed by IBM and BellSouth,
which came out to the public in 1993.
“Simon” had a touch screen that was capable of accessing email
and sending faxes. 
From 1990 to 2011, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions grew
from 12.4 million to over 6 billion, penetrating about 87% of the
global population and reaching the bottom of the economic
pyramid.
 ….Continued

Mobile devices and apps are becoming ubiquitous to both

personal and professional lives, allowing for near anytime
access to critical information.
It’s no wonder that adoption of Smartphone's and tablets,
which offer Internet connectivity and densely populated
application ecosystems for add-on features, is growing at a
torrid pace.
According to Gartner, “Of the 1.875 billion mobile phones
to be sold in 2013, 1 billion units was smartphones,
compared with 675 million units in 2012.”
 Smartphone History
January 2007
Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple, unveils the iPhone,
which he says is "a revolutionary and magical product that
is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone".
 Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer calls it "the most
expensive phone in the world".
April 2007
 Technology research company Gartner says that in the
first three months of 2007 Microsoft's Windows Mobile had
an 18% share of the smartphone market (then totaling
17million handsets).
 …continued

November 2007
Google announces it will offer the Android mobile operating system for free.
Anyone can use it and change it.
By default it uses Google services for search, email and video.
Microsoft's Ballmer says "We'll have to see what Google does. Right now they
have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers,
great software, many hardware devices, and they're welcome in our world!“
October 2008
Apple announces it sold 4.7million iPhones in the summer quarter, giving it
nearly 13% of the smartphone market.
November 2008
First Android phone, the G1, launches. It has a slide-out keyboard and limited touchscreen
capability.
December 2008
Microsoft decides to kill off Windows Mobile because it can't compete with the iPhone and Android,
and develop Windows Phone – a completely new mobile operating system.
Autumn 2009
RIM has a 20% share of the smartphone market from July-September, says Gartner. Second only
to Nokia's Symbian, which has 44%.
January 2010
Apple launches the iPad, a 10in tablet.
February 2010
Android phones with full touchscreen interaction like the iPhone's appear.
April 2010
Google's Android gained just under 10% of the market in the first three months of 2010, says Gartner
September 2010
Samsung launches Galaxy Tab, a 7in tablet.
January 2011
Researchers Gartner and IDC announce that smartphones outsold PCs worldwide in the
last three months of 2010 – 100m as against 93m
April 2011
Apple becomes the largest smartphone vendor by numbers and revenue, selling 18.6m
iPhones, just ahead of Samsung's 17.5m, in the year's first quarter.
Android becomes the best-selling smartphone platform, with a 36.6% share, ahead of
Symbian's 27%.
Apple sues Samsung in the US over the appearance of the Galaxy Tab tablet, and follows it
up with a string of legal cases around the world claiming infringement of patents and "trade
dress".
July 2011
Android takes 43% of the smartphone market in the second quarter of the year, says
Gartner.
November 2011
Android had more than 50% of the smartphone market in the
third quarter of 2011, says Gartner.
January 2012
Microsoft gets LG to pay undisclosed per-handset royalties.
Microsoft says it now has such agreements for 70% of Android
handsets sold in the US.
 Application of Mobile Computing
The question that always arises when a business is thinking of
buying a mobile computer is "Will it be worth it?“
The importance of Mobile Computers has been highlighted in many
fields :
 Emergency Services
 In companies
 Stock Information Collation/Control
 Taxi/Truck Dispatch
 Electronic Mail/Paging
 Location and Map
 Smart city
 In health
 In Agriculture
 CHALLENGES OF MOBILE COMPUTING

Challenges in mobile computing can be categorized into three major areas as:
1) Wireless Communication
2) Mobility
3) Portability
1) Wireless Communication
Generally wireless computers have fewer resources relative to stationary (wired)
computers, this is because wireless computers are required to be smaller, lighter
and consume less power than stationary computers.
 Wireless communication is more difficult to implement than wired communication
because of the interaction of the surrounding environment with the message signal.
Problems caused by the environment include blocked signal paths, echoes and noise.
 Hence wireless connections are more error prone, have much lower bandwidths, and
have frequent spurious disconnections when compared to wired connections
 …continued

These factors can increase communication latencies due to error control

checks, retransmissions, time-out delays and brief disconnections.
a) Low Bandwidth and Bandwidth Variability
Maintain multiple cells at different frequencies.
 Limiting transmission ranges so that more cells can fit in a given area.
b) Security Risk :Possible attacks can be categorized as follows:
Masquerading: when a user is deceiving about its real identity. Masquerading
may lead to impersonation.
Unauthorized use of resources: when a user is accessing a network
component without have being authorized. This situation may lead to theft or
improper use of communication resources.
Interception: The opponent gains access to the data transmitted over the
communication link.
 …continued

Fabrication: The opponent inserts information into the

communication link. A special type of this attack is replay
of old messages in order to mislead the communicating
parties.
Repudiation of actions: This is a threat against
accountability.
 A repudiation attack may occur where by the sender
(receiver) of a message denies having sent (received) it.
Denial of service/Interruption: The attacker prevents the
easy transmission of information.
 …continued
These Security issues can be solved by:
Identification and Authentication: Authentication information and
mechanisms that involve trusted third parties (passwords,
cryptographic techniques, challenge-response techniques).
Access control and Authorization: Access control information,
access control rules, delegation.
Information confidentiality: Confidentiality mechanisms
(encryption) and attributes (secret keys, public and private keys).
Information integrity: Integrity mechanisms that provide
generation and verification of integrity hacks.
Non-repudiation: (e.g. through digital signatures).
Auditing and Accountability.
 …continued
2) Mobility: The ability to change location while connected to the
network increases the volatility of some information. Certain data
considered static for stationary computing becomes dynamic for mobile
computing. Mobility introduces several problems:
a) Address Migration
b) Location dependent Information:
3) Portability: designers of hand-held mobile computers should strive for
the properties of a wrist watch: small, light, durable, operational
under wide environmental conditions and requiring minimal
power usage for long battery life.
Some design pressures caused by the portability constraints are as
follows:
 …continued
a) Low Power : power can be saved by :
Reducing the capacitance by greater extent of VLSI design,
 Reducing the voltage at the time of chip design and
 Reducing the clock frequency so that trading the computational
speed for power saving.
b) Risks to Data : Making computers portable increases the risk of
physical damage, unauthorized access, loss and theft.
c) Small User Interface
d) Small Storage Capacity
e) Risks to transactions
 …continued
mobile computing and wireless communication will dominate
the future Internet & computing world
We are still in the beginning:

.   except many more standards & technologies

. some competing, some collaborative efforts
. many challenges (good for researchers!)
.   you will and won’t see thousands of systems used
THANK YOU