Jun 30 2005
Tell it to the Carriers
I was recently asked to brainstorm messages for the carriers. What would an LBS handset application developer like them to hear? So I got together with a couple really smart people I know and came up with the items below. Interestingly enough, most of our answers applied to the non-LBS space as well.
We want to do innovative things with your handsets. Insist that the handset manufacturers implement the features that will support this. Examples:
- APIs for full featured access to Camera and Gallery resources
- APIs to send/receive MMS and SMS
- APIs to hand-off to the browser with a destination URL
- APIs to access the serial port and bluetooth
- Much better font support
- Launching a Music Service? Think of the innovation you could enable if developers could manipulate play lists and music player features from the application environment.
- APIs to write to the external screen (and support running with the handset closed)
It’s not enough that it is in the general framework for the phone. It has to be spec’d and acceptance tested. Too many handsets don’t do things that they should because reliable delivery wasn’t enforced by the carrier. It requires specification and acceptance testing.
Many of you control which apps can run on your phones. There is no need to arbitrarily block apps from access to handset features, your test/acceptance business process can limit access, and grant it where it makes sense.
LBS Specific
- Elevation/Altitude data is very weak, we need your help there.
- Don’t restrain us to carrier sanctioned GIS data sources. Give us the flexibility to differentiate our apps.