AOL to launch open mobile software platform

By Mickey Alam Khan

February 12, 2008

Developers will soon be able to use AOL tools to create applications across several mobile device platforms

Time Warner Inc.’s AOL joins the ranks of Google and Yahoo with plans this summer to launch its own open mobile platform.

The announcement for the AOL Open Mobile Platform was made yesterday at the GSMA Mobile World Congress conference organized in Barcelona by the GSM Association.

AOL’s news comes weeks after Yahoo said it opened its Yahoo Go platform to third-party developers. Google launched its own Android open mobile platform in the fall as part of the Open Handset Alliance. 

Developers will soon be able to use AOL tools and source code needed to create and distribute applications across several mobile device platforms and operating systems including BREW, Java, Research In Motion, Symbian, Windows Mobile and Linux.

The AOL Open Mobile Platform at http://dev.aol.com/openmobile as put together using technology that AOL bought and that has been used across more than 150 different handsets on carrier networks nationwide.

Three components are included in the platform: an XML-based markup language, a mobile device client and an application server.

AOL said a dynamic presentation layer will enable quick deployment of new features and optimization for several mobile devices. Developers can then build and update applications once and then distribute to all supported devices and platforms.

Also, developers can integrate applications built using the platform with third-party advanced programming interfaces. The applications can also integrate with AOL’s open APIs for the company’s AIM instant messenger, AOL Mail email system, AOL Video, MapQuest, Userplane, Truveo and Winamp Remote services.

The mobile applications will be able to run banner ads provided by AOL’s Platform-A ad network division.