Bada. Interview with Oleg Budegechiev and report on the visit to the round table at Samsung FORUM 2010

Bada is a new platform for mobile devices developed by Samsung and announced on November 10, 2009, based on ten years of experience in the development and development of the SHP (Samsung Hand-Held Platform) platform. In this review, we will try to provide information on it that is currently complete and interesting both to potential developers of software solutions for this platform and to potential owners of the first mobile device on it - Wave S8500 , expected in the Russian market in late April - early May.

Bada - mobile platform or mobile OS?

At the moment, this is probably the most pressing issue that worries both potential developers and ordinary users of the company's new development.



From the above graph, it becomes clear that Samsung is positioning its new development as an open-type mobile platform, along with Andorid solutions and Apple products. Let's now take a closer look at the platform itself:

Kernel

If the theater begins with a hanger, then any software solution for modern phones begins with its core. In the case of bada, the kernel, as can be seen above, can be practically anything, and its choice is determined only by the used hardware platform.

Device

At this level, the main functions of the hardware platform and OS kernel are implemented: graphics, UI basics, telephony, data transfer protocols, multimedia support (camera, audio-video formats). Logically, this is an intermediate level (middleware) between the OS kernel and higher levels, which is necessary for translating hardware-dependent functions into open APIs and hardware-independent software components.

Service

Implementation of functions and online services (interaction with bada service server). It’s worthwhile to dwell on this point in more detail, and so let's pay attention to the image below:



As you can see, at this level Samsung already independently implements the lion's share of the functionality that many users of smartphones and other mobile devices had to add to their device on their own.

App framework

At this level, support for open APIs and C ++ functions inherited from previous layers is implemented. In other words, users will be able to install native applications (applications developed specifically for the bada platform):



I would like to end this first part of the review, aimed at first and general acquaintance with the platform, and move on to more specific and urgent questions, the answers to which were received both at the open round table for the press during Samsung FORUM 2010, and in private communication with Oleg Budegechiev, Samsung product manager. The questions themselves will be highlighted in bold and italics at the same time, my comments will be highlighted in italics, and the answers of Oleg will be highlighted in plain text, respectively.

Interview with Oleg

How many applications can be run on bada at the same time?

At the moment, the developers settled on one bada application and one java. Theoretically, we could make any number of simultaneously launched applications, but nevertheless chose to follow the path of minimalism and build the capacity of devices in accordance with the requirements of most users and ergonomic considerations.

The platform is aimed primarily at ordinary users, and they, for the most part, do not even distinguish a widget from a native application. In the future, if there is such a need, we can of course change and supplement the platform to the specific needs of consumers.

Tell us more about widgets, how they will be implemented in the platform and what is generally hidden under this concept in the company.

The so-called widgets are already well known to users both in our own previous developments in the field of mobile devices and in products of other companies. We did not invent anything new, the understanding of the widget remains classic - it is a small application that performs a specific application role. An example of such applications: clock, weather forecast.

We slightly changed the moments that were already familiar to users, which became generally accepted in our previous developments. Now widgets have standard sizes and are rigidly attached to a certain "grid" on the "desktop" of the phone. Here we can give an analogy with placing the icon on the desktop on computers running win-systems (sort icons / align by grid).

Also added the ability to combine widgets, making them more functional. Here is an example of combining the already mentioned clock and the weather forecast, just the clock on the left, the clock on the right + weather forecast:



Should I separate widgets from bada-applications?

Yes, of course. In the conversation about the simultaneous operation of applications, it was specifically about native and java applications. The number of simultaneously launched widgets, as far as I know, is limited only by the hardware capabilities of the device and the free space on its “desktops”.

Ideologically, they are something like java applications, only of a higher level, since java applications run inside the java virtual machine, and widgets inside the widget engine, which is essentially a multi-window browser, and all widgets are kind mini pages.

And how many desktops are provided in the phone?

The workspace of the platform is divided into two zones: desktops and menus. This is done solely for ease of use and ease of navigation around the device. The number of both is 10.

There are rumors that the company requires developing applications for all platforms used in its devices. Is it so?

No, this is not true. If the developer wants to release his application only under bada (well, or under win mobile), then this is his right.

But bada also has a separation of levels by platform?

Yes, that's right. As the developers promise, there will be several reference platforms: the entry-level platform, the mid-level platform and the flagship Hi-end platform. But since it is obvious that these platforms will be used on different hardware solutions, for example, using hardware support for Open GL ES2.0, the company does not intend to put forward requirements for porting applications to all versions of the platform.

The only thing that is known for certain about additional difficulties in developing applications is that for different screen resolutions, recompilation and redesign of the UI will be required.

Tell us about the UI, what’s new in it and what “highlights” do users expect?

The platform will use a new interface - Touchwiz 3.0. I will list its features:

• Web / Flash Object Integration
• Support for sensors, vibration feedback, etc.
• Call application from application
• Setting 3 bottom soft keys
• Integration of social networks into the phone book
• The ability to send a message directly from the phone book (the conversation is again about social networks and IM)
• One-touch call / SMS sending
• Pop-up messages
• Changeable menu themes

So far, I have not held enough time in the hands of any device based on this platform? asking me for details about everything above is useless :)

Will there be some kind of “repression” against developers and their software, as was the case with Apple and Skype? Tell us more about the development issues of using software for the platform in general.

I will answer in order. No, the company is currently absolutely not tuned to the policy of “repressions”, the development orientation is aimed primarily at the free market, and not the market of cellular network operators.

As for the picture as a whole, then everything is simple:

• The developer develops the application using the SDK provided to him (based on Eclipse, debugging of the application is possible both on the emulator and on the real device). Also on the portal developer.bada.com registered developers to provide technical support, documentation, and sample code.
• The company checks its development and, in the event of a successful evaluation, puts it on Apps .
• The user gets the opportunity to download this application both through the phone and through a special application on the computer - Samsung Kies.
• The developer gets access to statistics, billing, and other obvious things, such as user feedback.

I already wrote about the possibility of obtaining an SDK here .
As for more detailed information for developers, we will publish it as soon as possible.

For which operating systems is the SDK currently available?

Currently only for win. There will be a sufficient number of users who want to develop their applications in other operating environments - we will try to solve this issue in their favor.

Will Apps be shared across all platforms used by the company?

So far there is no definite solution to this issue, it all depends on our developers.

How will payment for purchases be made in Apps?

At the moment, bada has debugged billing by bank cards and debugging is done via sms. The second option is likely to be also available in the near future, since the company already has some experience working with operators in this field.

At the moment, players in the cellular communications market specifically in our region are generally unhappy with how software is purchased through SMS payment - this service causes too many problems. The bada platform, or rather its functionality in terms of billing via sms, was in a sense requested from us by mobile operators.

I confirm that I bought a phone from Samsung as a gift for the new year, demo versions of games were preinstalled in it. In each game, an automatic (not sure, but not the essence) sending message was built in, after which a code to unlock the game comes. The cost was around 100 rubles, and is indicated for all major operators directly in the game.

In the platform, as I understand it, GPS support is already built-in. With whom exactly will you cooperate on cards?

Yes, true, there is GPS support, but do not forget that not all hardware platforms will be equipped with it. As for the card provider, we do not yet have a clear answer - negotiations are ongoing.

Tell as much as possible about the so-called bada service server, how “secured” will work with it?

The question is serious, so I will try to give a detailed answer. There are two options for implementing a social hub (a common node in the phone for integrating social networks and IM protocols):

• pull (constantly polling the server for new events)
• push notification (the server itself notifies the device of new events on the other side of the network)

So, the pull method implies data encryption (the algorithm and the key length are not ready to tell you now), and for the implementation of push messages, support from the operator is already needed. And here the requirements of SORM inevitably appear, about which we are not yet ready to speak objectively, since so far there is no final agreement with all parties.

Regarding the storage of user data - this will not happen, the data will go "through" the bada service server. Passwords, in the case of third-party services, will also not be stored only on the device and transmitted to servers only in the form of a hash. In the case of services provided by Samsung (for example, access to Apps), passwords will of course be stored on servers - this is more logical and true.

Personally, I would not worry about SORM, since we are all already subject to the attention of this system in one way or another, and it is unlikely that any new demands from the authorities will come up when discussing these issues with the operator.

Will the phones adapt to a specific, Russian consumer? If so, what will it be expressed in?

Yes, the phones will definitely adapt to our local realities. I cannot answer the question more specifically so far - all this is still in the development process.

Will the company use a common name for a new type of mobile device, like Apple or Microsoft?

No, one phone is one name.

Can we expect any new bada-based models this year?

Yes, and more than once.

Are there already lists of ready-made applications and widgets?

Yes, they are, but at the moment there is still no final list of developers who have expressed a desire to work with the platform at the moment, and therefore it’s difficult to say for sure. But on March 29, Samsung Bada Developer Day was held in St. Petersburg, and we hope that in the near future the picture will become more clear.

How do you see the phone market this year?

Firstly, I want to say right away that although we rarely make mistakes in expectations of market movements, we are still ready to answer only directly for ourselves. Secondly, we personally have the most optimistic hopes on the smartphone market, in 2010 we expect sales of about 10 million devices on bada around the world and the conquest of about half of the smartphone market specifically in Russia.

By smartphones, I currently understand both devices with the old principle of operation (minicomputer) and with a new one.

And finally, I would like to ask the main question for the consumer - what price will be set on Wave at the time it enters the Russian market?

We are planning a figure of 20-22 thousand rubles.

Instead of conclusions

The first thing that caught my eye when analyzing the information received was the fact that the manufacturers of mobile devices still decided to move away from the paradigm “mobile device = smartphone = minicomputer”. As the developers of the company and its PR department assured us, of course no one is going to abandon smartphones in their pure form, based on such time-tested operating systems as windows mobile and Symbian, but in general, the market has come to the point where purchasing power most users, their requirements for functionality and prices for smartphones (in other words, for high-performance hardware and software) are close to each other at a minimum distance, but the ability of users to distinguish l smartphone from a regular phone and understand the difference between the two and remained at a low level.

And, according to Samsung, this is an absolutely normal situation. Just like most motorists (although this apparently still can not be attributed to Russia :) at the moment it is already poorly imagining the filling of their cars (do not forget that fixing many cars is no longer possible in Uncle Vanya's garage conditions), so most users should not worry about filling out the functionality of your mobile phone or device, if you like.

Watching the market for mobile devices, it should be noted that not only Samsung is heading for such trends in the development of software products. I will not begin to list all the similar points, but many of you are likely to notice over time the same as me. Namely, a new class of mobile devices stands out from the phones, aimed at modern users who, on the one hand, are actively using the capabilities of the Internet and on the other hand, who do not want to delve into the intricacies of settings, compatibility and other specialized details of working online.

Samsung’s developers also emphasize the fact that the changes are not overdue, but are the result of long and painstaking work in all directions. Of course, experience with other mobile platforms and operating systems has helped and will help the company in this. Separately, it is worth highlighting such platforms as Star and Jet, they have been used by the company in their devices throughout the past year and have become a kind of springboard on the way to bada, already covering only 70-80% of all user needs for mobile device functionality with their functionality.

useful links

Website for developers: developer.bada.com
Announcement of Samsung Bada Developer Day: habrahabr.ru/company/samsung/blog/87725/
Photo reports about the visit to Samsung FORUM 2010: from Bumburum and from me .

PS: In this review, I tried to give only general information on bada and issues related to this platform. Details such as HD video playback, DivX and XviD support, video and audio editing options and instant online uploading of results from the Internet and much more will be discussed in subsequent reviews of specific devices. Personally, I hope to hold one of them in the very near future :)

So far, I can offer you a video with the Wave S8500 online release: