Wap did not really take off in South Africa - what's the status in the USA and Europe?

As wireless access goes down in price, and more phones have newer browsers that support WML, it's bound to do pretty good here, I think.

Most cell phone plans now adays have so many night and weekend minutes for so cheap now, that it's hard to use them all up if you're not wasting them on the wireless web. And with sprint cutting the cost of wireless web access in half, and giving it away free for a few months, more people are trying it out for the first time.

I use it all the time myself. If I'm in a car and not driving, I can be found surfing the web, or using AIM on my cell phone. I'm easily entertained, though.

Originally posted by bitserve
As wireless access goes down in price, and more phones have newer browsers that support WML, it's bound to do pretty good here, I think.
That's the key - we pay quite a lot for wireless access over here. And it's billed on time spent, not bandwidth used - bummer! :bawling:

But things are changing - a 3rd mobile operator entered the market a couple of months ago. The fixed line situation is actually worse - there is only one provider at the moment (which is owned in part by the state)!

humm, with the new generation of phones having html browsers (I got a samsung i300) .. it seems to me WAP is doomed to never succeed

the market was just not there when it came out, and now better things are arising :)

I wold say it is not where things are heading. Never really was all that popular (at least among people I talked to).

in the UK its pretty much a NOT - the most pointless thing ever invented, I even got a phone with a qwerty keyboard on it and it was still crap "WAP Is Cwap" is my motto

With OpenWave making the browsers in almost all US phones and since almost every US carrier uses an OpenWave server, I doubt that it's over.

http://www.openwave.com/products/device_products/mobile_browser/index.html

WAP 1.x is definitely over.

The first generation of WAP is dead. And it is dead even before the second generation is shaping up.

From end user stand point:
1. it is really cumbersome to use
2. there are not many content offered
3. it is expensive

From content providers standpoint:
1. if they want to target general web audiences as well as wap audiences, they need to parallel develop their apps, one for web, and one for wap
2. there are not many wap users
3. it is not profitable, there is not much advertising space and pay per use is useless with hard to use user interface

The next generation of wap is supposedly to fix those problem. First, they uses XHTML instead of WML, so content providers doesn't have to develop both version separately. Second, the new devices coming this year is much easier to use with much better user interface.

the japanease have been using a superior I-mode system for a few years now and its set to make its debut in germany any month soon. I mode is like a slower G3 system but a superior system to the WAP system, i want it :(

I admit, i jumped on the wap bandwagon when it came out but its something i regret now :stickout

I remember about 2 years ago, the web was awash with visions of how WAP would take over the net. I remember this one salesman proclaimed, "In 2003-2004, more people will surf the web with their cell phones, rather than their PCs".

Ha! I told him that was bunk. Just think of it. Have you ever used a cell phone to surf the web? It's like choosing to ride your 6 year old child's bike to the market instead of riding your mountain bike. It's dead. It will have a limited place, but WAP, like many of the other grand promises of the web, was overblown.

Originally posted by ash
the japanease have been using a superior I-mode system for a few years now and its set to make its debut in germany any month soon. I mode is like a slower G3 system but a superior system to the WAP system, i want it

In your opinion, how is imode superior to wap? Are you referring to an old mac when you say G3?

IMHO wap is great in europe... I'm from the Netherlands, however right now I reside in Canada... in the Netherlands wap is great, HOWEVER, you need a killer app.... make something that works with wap, don't just repackage something... on the other side of the coin, WAP in Canada is pretty much non existant, however more and more cellular providers are turning to GSM from the dreaded TDMS and ****e like that....

Originally posted by bitserve In your opinion, how is imode superior to wap? Are you referring to an old mac when you say G3?
Nope - in this case G3 refers to the frequency spectrum, and stands for third generation.

ignore this - it was a double post :blush:

Originally posted by dhabets
...more and more cellular providers are turning to GSM from the dreaded TDMS and ****e like that....

Which Canadian cellular providers are switching to GSM? I heard that providers using TDMA 800 would be switching to GSM 800 for an interim technology, but have no idea which companies used TDMA 800.

Thanks.

Originally posted by afriq
Nope - in this case G3 refers to the frequency spectrum, and stands for third generation.

Are you and dapperdan the same person?

In the US at least 3G (not G3) stands for third generation and doesn't refer to a frequency spectrum. At least when speaking about the evolution of wireless technology.

I too was bitten by the bug and *had* to get a Motorla WAP phone...

Bummer. I have used WAP maybe four times in the last year - and that was only when friends/family wanted to see what it did :rolleyes:

WAP as we know it definitely has no future, but it will be interesting to see the next gen of WAP come through and the influx of more standard HTML compatible cellphones.

Originally posted by HostIt
WAP as we know it definitely has no future, but it will be interesting to see the next gen of WAP come through and the influx of more standard HTML compatible cellphones.

I can barely see everything on WHT right at 1024x768 never mind a 45x60 Green screen mobile phone with software more shakey than a heroin addict looking for his next fix!

There was a batch of 23,000 brand new samsung mobiles stolen in the UK in the past 24hrs, wap might just catch on, you never know....:D