Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) brings several new possibilities to digital cellular phones. WAP brings a common environment to manufacturers and developers as value-added services for mobile phones are expanded. Currently, applications extend to online gaming, email, information updates, and various other communication applications. Though WAP-enabled technology has appealed to today’s technology savvy youth, carriers have much to change if WAP applications are to truly make their mark.
The general consensus among WAP advocates is that marketers have pushed WAP-enabled phones as a "mobile Internet" connection, and this will not work until services are expanded and redesigned. Users complain of slow connection speeds, limited access and simplistic content as there are very few WAP programmed sites. For WAP to gain popularity, providers need to present the public with captivating specialized applications beyond existing games such as Snake II, Tic Tac Toe or the Internet Football Club. User acceptance is paramount if WAP is to survive and grow to its full potential.
An online survey conducted by Consumers Association proves that WAP, despite its shortcomings stands relatively strong. Results indicated that half of all Internet users wanted access to email from their mobile phones, and a third desired access to banking options. A disheartening statistic also based from this report showed that 20% of mobile phone users surveyed did not want access to any services mentioned.
Though many difficulties exist with WAP, there are many positive aspects. WAP is the industry standard, commonly accepted protocol. Its main competitor is the "i-Mode" system founded by Japan's NTT DoCoMo. i-Mode uses existing HTML documents as developers convert then into "compact HTML" - a browser suitable for wireless devices. This holds a strong advantage over WAP as i-Mode phones are able to access virtually any online site. The drawback to i-mode however, is its incompatibility with other networks. Though WAP technology requires programmers to rewrite websites in WML (Wireless Markup Language), the language expands to virtually all networks. This gives WAP an enormous global advantage over its competitor. WAP was designed with this in mind as it attempts to promote and unify the growing mobile economy. Difficulties here lie in getting the American and UK markets to embrace the technology, as traditional landline connections through PC are much more common here versus Japan.
Providers like Nokia and IBM are on the front of WAP application design. Partnering together, these two giants have worked out a wireless chat solution for IBM's 83 million Lotus Notes customers as they can communicate at speeds up to 43 kbps using Lotus' Mobile Notes on Nokia's 9210 Communicator. Other providers have brought applications such as The Hyperfactory's "Feverpitch Exchange" enables online person-to-person betting.
