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Topic: Oracle

Oracle puts Java apps on iPads and iPhones

Summary: The company's updated mobile development toolkit allows coders to write once for both iOS and Android platforms, with iOS support coming through the use of a Java Virtual Machine.

David Meyer

By David Meyer |

Oracle has updated its mobile development toolkit, giving coders a relatively simple way to deploy Java-based enterprise apps to iPhones and iPads, as well as Android devices.

iOS does not naturally run Java apps, whereas Android apps are often written in the language. A month ago, Google released a tool for converting Java source code into iOS-friendly Objective C, as a way of helping developers code for both platforms at once.

However, Oracle's updated Application Development Framework (ADF) Mobile extension — unveiled on Monday — uses a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to support the write-once-for-multiple-platforms concept.

ADF Mobile uses a hybrid mobile architecture: according to Oracle, it offers developers "consistent cross-platform interfaces using familiar web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS, while [allowing] deep access to native device services such as the camera, GPS, contacts, etc."

"Oracle ADF Mobile is tightly integrated with the Oracle Fusion Middleware product portfolio, supports Oracle Fusion Applications, and can easily integrate non-Oracle-based applications," Oracle application development tools chief Chris Tonas said in a statement.

ADF Mobile uses the same declarative programming model as Oracle's standard application development framework, and the company says this should speed up development.

Topics: Oracle, Android, Apps, iOS

David Meyer

About David Meyer

David Meyer is a freelance technology journalist. He fell into journalism when he realised his musical career wouldn't pay the bills. David's main focus is on communications, as well as internet technologies, regulation and mobile devices.

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23 comments
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  • Security risk!

    It's just a case of waiting, now, for the onslaught of additional security vulnerabilities on iOS caused by notorious Java.
    Tim Acheson
    Reply Vote

    • You read my mind

      I was thinking the same thing when I read the headline. Just as Java is being disabled on PC and Mac we see that its finding its way onto IOS.
      jscott418-22447200638980614791982928182376
      Reply Vote

    • Just an application...

      The Oracle published architecture shows the JVM is running embedded in the iOS or Android application which seems to mean it would not have access to any APIs beyond a normal iOS or Android application. How will that be a security risk?
      MinivilleMedia
      Reply Vote

    • Re: additional security vulnerabilities on iOS caused by notorious Java.

      Did you know that notorious C and C++ code can do all kinds of dodgy low-level operations on your defenceless PC that Java won't allow? If Java is bad, how much worse could they be? Talk about a rats' nest of security vulnerabilities, right?

      Except, no. Those "vulnerabilities" you're thinking of are holes in the sandbox used to run applets off the Web. Which is a way of using Java that nobody bothers with any more.

      Android uses Java, but not in a way that depends on it for security. In technical terms, the Dalvik VM is not a "security boundary".
      ldo17
      Reply Vote

  • Missing Link

    Unlike Mr. Acheson, who chose to pursue some anti-java agenda with some bumper-stickery, I'll ask the question that is more relevant to this guy who writes java applications. Why do we think Apple is going to let Oracle's virtual machine get installed onto iOS devices? That Ellison's company is also a member of the He-Man Google Haters Club?

    Well, my judgment is pending, until I see a real demonstration of ways and means.
    DannyO_0x98
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Good point!

      Even if Apple does allow this, how long before Apple would pull the apps if security issues become a problem?
      jscott418-22447200638980614791982928182376
      Reply Vote

      • Re: before Apple would pull the apps if security issues become a problem?

        IOS is insecure anyway. It has no Android-style sandbox permissions system. The only security comes from the vetting process before allowing apps into the App Store.
        ldo17
        Reply Vote

        • Little learning helps a lot

          What exactly is the Android's "sandboxing"? Care to learn a bit? Where did it originate and how it works?

          Then come tell us it's Google's invention :)
          danbi
          Reply Vote

          • Re: What exactly is the Android's "sandboxing"?

            Read the details here: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/security/permissions.html
            ldo17
            Reply Vote

    • Exactly...

      Google is exactly why. Until now, Apple could rest content that it had developer mindshare, especially because Android fragmentation meant pain for developers. But with the recent Google Java-to-Objective C tool, that is a clear play by Google to say "write for Android first." Apple can't afford to have that mindset shift among developers.
      techboy_z
      Reply Vote

    • I don't think...

      I don't think this involves a Java Virtual Machine on your iPhone. The way I read it, it's just coding tools that produce native code for both platforms from a common primary source.
      dsf3g
      Reply Vote

  • Missing Link

    Unlike Mr. Acheson, who chose to pursue some anti-java agenda with some bumper-stickery, I'll ask the question that is more relevant to this guy who writes java applications. Why do we think Apple is going to let Oracle's virtual machine get installed onto iOS devices? That Ellison's company is also a member of the He-Man Google Haters Club?

    Well, my judgment is pending, until I see a real demonstration of ways and means.
    DannyO_0x98
    Reply Vote

  • Java is important in many enterprises

    And iPhones and iPads are popular in many enterprises. Thus, no surprise.

    The linked article speaks of Java apps running locally rather that Java applets running in the browser. It's Java applets that have given Java such a bad name from a security perspective. Also from the linked article:

    o "deep data service integration and the ability to access real-time and offline data sources make it well suited for developing apps across many enterprise sectors
    o "Apps built using the client can also access certain parts of a device's hardware, such as the camera, GPS or barcode scanner using natively embedded Java code

    P.S. I thought that iOS prohibited platforms.
    Rabid Howler Monkey
    Reply 1 Vote

    • That's the impression I had as well.

      Wasn't one of the big arguments Apple used against Flash
      on IOS was that it was using cross-platform code? And that
      this cross-platform code could result in compromised
      security? Seems kind of odd to use the cross-platform
      argument against one runtime platform versus another???
      wizard57m-cnet
      Reply Vote

  • Platforms prohibited

    From what I've heard, Apple specifically prohibits things like Java. Their reasoning is that they knock themselves out coming up with great functionality that competitors don't have and they want applications to have a consistent look-and-feel. With any type of cross-platform write-once-run-many code, the program will be designed on a lowest-common-denominator basis. If Android/Windows/whatever doesn't have it or it looks or works substantially different, don't include it.

    I really can't blame them. I use a database manager called Sesame that is cross-platform compatible for Windows and Linux. To maintain look-and-feel they deliberately don't use any of the Windows common dialog code. As a result, their file-open and file-save dialogs look completely different, which many users find confusing and annoying.
    Rick_R
    Reply Vote

    • Tell your java guys to use SWT

      SWT allows using the native dialogs so in Windows looks like Windows, in Gnome looks like Gnome and in OS/X looks like OS/X. Just remember with SWT you have to look after SWT objects yourself, Java can't do it automatically.
      sysop-dr
      Reply Vote

  • Not running the JVM on iOS

    It doesn't sound to me like they're running the JVM on iOS.

    Considering that the solution uses "technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS" and that "Oracle ADF Mobile is tightly integrated with the Oracle Fusion Middleware product portfolio" this sounds much more like a web play, with Oracle Fusion Middleware running the actual application on the server, and the device hardware (like GPS) exposed to the JavaScript.
    RobertMcCarter
    Reply Vote

    • Yes ... running JVM on iOS

      If you look at the architecture information published by Oracle on the ADF Mobile framework, it is indeed running the JVM on the device. The JVM is embedded in the application. The application can run as a standalone application or can be integrated through web services with a server application so the server is not required.
      MinivilleMedia
      Reply Vote

  • The Java owned by Oracle is not the Java you are looking for...

    If Oracle wanted java on mobile devices why did they sue Google for doing it?
    Paul Krueger
    Reply Vote

    • Why sue somebody...

      the answer is always Money. All lawsuits are about cash. Oracle doesn't really care about Google using Java, they just want to get paid for it.
      Unusual1
      Reply Vote
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