After two years in development, Oracle has announced the general availability of Java ME 8. Java ME 8 is a major update of Java ME and targets fairly small devices, like feature phones. Why feature phones you ask? Feature phones are still very numerous throughout the world and are still used heavily. In fact, even huge Facebook has a effort specifically targeted for feature phones named Facebook for Every Phone which had over 100 million people using it every month. Here are some highlights of Java ME 8:
- Alignment with Java SE 8 language features and APIs, which means some of the great Java 8 language features like generics is now available on CLDC.
- A significantly updated "services-enabled" application platform, which means it's now easier to develop and deploy ME 8 applications.
- Support to customize and "right-size" the platform, which means it's easier to create a platform that includes just the features you want and fits the target footprint you need.
- Access from Java to a range of devices via GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, which means the platform provides Java API's to access a wide ranage of device IO.
- Improved tooling support, which means more tools will make your job developing applications easier.
- New APIs for RESTful programming, which means it's now easier to access web applications.
- Implementation of the following JSRs:
- JSR 75 (File Connection API)
- JSR 120 (Wireless Messaging API)
- JSR 172 (Web Services API)
- JSR 177 (Security and Trust Services API)
- JSR 179 (Location API)
- JSR 280 (XML API)
- Usability, performance, and footprint improvements, which means faster, lower-footprint Java applications.
- Support for the following platforms:
- Raspberry Pi Model B on Debian Linux
- Qualcomm IoE 6270T on Brew MP
- Device Emulation Environment on Windows 7