Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless

Brew is an application development platform created by Qualcomm

Qualcomm

Qualcomm is an American global telecommunication corporation that designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecommunications products and services based on its code division multiple access technology and other technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, USA...

, originally for CDMA mobile phone

Mobile phone

A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...

s, featuring third party applications such as mobile game

Mobile game

A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....

s. It is offered in some feature phone

Feature phone

A feature phone is a mobile phone that, like smartphones, combines the functions of a personal digital assistant and a mobile phone.Today's models typically also serve as portable media players and camera phones with touchscreen, GPS navigation, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband access.Feature phones is...

s but not in smart phones. It debuted in September 2001.

As a software platform that can download and run small programs for playing games, sending messages, and sharing photos, the main advantage of Brew MP is that the application developers can easily port

Porting

In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...

their applications among all Brew MP devices by providing a standardized set of application programming interface

Application programming interface

An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...

s. Software for the Brew MP enabled handsets can be developed in C

C (programming language)

C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....

or C++

C++

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...

using the freely downloadable Brew MP SDK. The Brew runtime library

Runtime library

In computer programming, a runtime library is a special program library used by a compiler, to implement functions built into a programming language, during the execution of a computer program...

is part of the wireless device on-chip firmware

Firmware

In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...

or operating system

Operating system

An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

in order to allow programmers to develop applications without needing to code for system interface or understand wireless applications. Brew is described as a pseudo operating system, but not a true mobile operating system

Mobile operating system

A mobile operating system, also known as a mobile OS, mobile software platform or a handheld operating system, is the operating system that controls a mobile device or information appliance—similar in principle to an operating system such as Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux distributions that controls a...

. Brew is not a virtual machine

Virtual machine

A virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...

such as Java ME, but runs native code.

Software

For software developers, it is a complete set of APIs that enables software development and applications in C

C (programming language)

C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....

, C++

C++

and Java

Java (programming language)

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...

and is supported (platform) by an ASIC

ASIC

ASIC may refer to:* Application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit developed for a particular use, as opposed to a customised general-purpose device.* ASIC programming language, a dialect of BASIC...

. It has a footprint of about 15900 K

Kilobyte

The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...

.
Brew MP is also known as the pseudo OS and it runs on Brew RTOS.

Brew application development

For testing applications during the development process, the SDK includes a Brew Emulator

Emulator

In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...

, or starting with Brew Version 3.1.5 and above, the Brew Simulator. The Brew environment provides for multiple levels of application signatures

Code signing

Code signing is the process of digitally signing executables and scripts to confirm the software author and guarantee that the code has not been altered or corrupted since it was signed by use of a cryptographic hash....

. One signature authenticates the developer. Another signature verifies that an application has passed TRUE Brew testing and is bestowed through Intertek. The individual telecommunications operators configure the handsets to either enforce or ignore the presence and verification of this second signature. Brew enabled handsets have a test mode that allows applications to bypass verification of the signature. Qualcomm makes applications that have passed testing available to Brew enabled wireless network operators. The operators are then able to choose which of these applications to make available to end-users on their catalog.

The Brew Emulator (currently called Brew Simulator) does not emulate handset's hardware. Instead, the Brew application is compiled to native code and linked with a compatible Brew runtime library

Runtime library

In computer programming, a runtime library is a special program library used by a compiler, to implement functions built into a programming language, during the execution of a computer program...

. Because of this, applications cannot be tested for platform bugs related to memory alignment and various firmware related glitches without a Brew handset operating in test mode.

For testing purpose, Brew applications can be transferred using a USB or serial cable

Serial cable

A serial cable is a cable that can be used to transfer information between two devices using serial communication. The form of connectors depends on the particular PHY used...

to any Brew-compatible handset using Brew AppLoader from Qualcomm. A Brew application contains several components which, if not present and valid, cause the application to be automatically deleted on reboot. This includes the compiled binary file, a file which describes the application, the features it uses and permissions requested, a file which contains string and image resources if required, and a file containing the application digital signature.

Brew Applications may be unloaded from a consumer handset to save handset memory space. This is referred to as "Disable/Restore", and is a requirement of the True Brew Test Process. Saved files are kept intact using Disable/Restore, and it is possible to re-load the application without paying for it again. In a "Disable" situation, all .bar, .mod, and .sig files are deleted from the handset, while any other files remain in their original place. During the "Restore" operation, the .bar, .mod, and.sig files are downloaded from the carrier's mobile store, and the previously disabled application will have full functionality remaining. The Disable/Restore process is only available to consumer users once the handset's memory is completely full.

On May 28, 2008, Qualcomm and Adobe announced a partnership to integrate Adobe Flash Lite as a supported user interface on Brew.

Development fees

Since March 2006, the least expensive digital signature package for developers costs US$400 for 100 application submissions.

Business model implications

Time to market

In commerce, time to market is the length of time it takes from a product being conceived until its being available for sale. TTM is important in industries where products are outmoded quickly...

can take longer with Brew than with Java ME because of Brew's rigorous certification requirements. This certification process may be perceived as an advantage by established software developers because the difficulties associated with testing and development costs create a high cost of entry to developers with low budgets and little time, resulting in less market dilution. Specifically, developers of casual game

Casual game

A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games...

s run less risk of having to compete with freeware

Freeware

Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...

workalikes

Clone (computer and video games)

A video game clone is a video game or game series which is very similar to or heavily inspired by a previous popular game or game series. Some video game genres are founded by such archetypal games that all subsequent similar games are thought of as derivatives.The term is sometimes derogatory,...

developed and self-published by hobbyists. However this comes as a cost to the end-user as there's less competition to develop the best solution for the cheapest price to the end user.

After an application is written it takes two weeks per iteration of True Brew testing (each time the application fails the test).
Next, negotiations with carrier(s) commence.
Then, (if successful) the carrier will spend time retesting the application with their own tests on their network.
Finally, rolling out a new version means starting the process over again.

Currently, most developers choose to support both Java ME and Brew, or only Java ME. Java ME may offer a lower cost to market because most carriers allow non-certified Java ME applications to run on their phones. Java ME is widely used in Europe, while Brew is primarily used in the U.S. and Japan. Even in the U.S., Java ME phones have a larger market share than Brew enabled handsets. One of the initial advantages of Brew was that Verizon made it easy to purchase applications from the phone, while most Java ME carriers did not. However, most carriers of Java ME phones now offer easy-to-access purchasing portals.

There are now commercial technologies to fully automate porting from Java ME to Brew. This reduces the entry barrier to produce Brew applications by eliminating the need to develop two versions of the same application in both Java and C/C++.

Usage

Brew OS is used by some mobile phone manufacturers and mobile networks, however most often the end-user does not know this since mobile phones running Brew most often lack any Brew OS branding and Brew runs in the background with the custom "skins" of the mobile phone manufacturer or operator on-top. Brew OS is used by Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...

, metroPCS

MetroPCS

MetroPCS Communications, Inc. , formerly known as General Wireless, Inc., is an American mobile phone service provider. It operates the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the US, with 8.9 million subscribers as of May 2011...

, Cricket Wireless, U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular

United States Cellular Corporation, d.b.a. U.S. Cellular , owns and operates the sixth largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, behind Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA, and Metro PCS. , they serve about 6.1 million customers in 126 markets in...

, Verizon

Verizon Wireless

Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....

and AT&T (in the HTC Freestyle) in the US

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

and by the Three network in much of Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

and Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

on many mobile phones produced especially for their network.
Manufacturers such as Huawei

Huawei

Huawei is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China...

, INQ Mobile, Amoi

Amoi

Amoi Technology Co., Ltd. is a Chinese electronics manufacturing company based in Xiamen, Fujian province, China. It is a mobile service provider which integrates manufacturing, R&D and sales of mobile communication devices.-History:...

Samsung Mobile amongst others use Brew OS in some of their mobile phones and it is featured in Three UK phones such as the 3 Skypephone

3 Skypephone

The 3 Skypephone is a UMTS , GSM and VoIP mobile phone. The phone is a joint product by Hutchison 3G and Skype.The 3 Skypephone S1 was the first in the 3 Skypephone Series to launch...

, INQ1

INQ1

The INQ1 is the first product of the Hutchinson Whampoa subsidiary, INQ. The INQ1 was released in December 2008 as a social-networking phone. Retailing at a cheaper price than competitors such as the iPhone, Blackberry Storm, G1 and Nokia 5800, it also contains slightly fewer features than other 3G...

and Huawei u7510 (3 Touch).

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.