Lucas van Grinsven

AMSTERDAM: Mobile phone giants Vodafone and Nokia teamed up to simplify software for cell phones written with the Java computer language that promises to bring cheaper, smarter handsets.

They added that the initiative, which aims to make it easier to use Java programs across a wide variety of mobile phones, had the backing of other leading industry players.

At the moment consumers have a limited choice of Java programs such as games because it too expensive for operators and software makers to make the available on all handsets.

The major potential attraction of Java, which was developed by U.S.-based Sun Microsystems, was the "write once, run anywhere" promise, meaning that its programs could run on any device, regardless of the operating system.

In reality, however, software developers need to make adjustments to cope with different screen sizes and other specifications. This accounts for 40 percent of the cost of initial software development, software companies have said.

Nokia and Vodafone said that their new initiative would specify an open standards-based mobile Java services architecture. By using the specifications, developers could create software that is easily transferable from one Java-enabled mobile device to another.

Although Java is seen as a major contender in the battle for software applications on mobile phones, it is currently used mainly for uncomplicated programs, such as simple games.

Navigation software, complex games and other more demanding applications which need fast processing, are written directly for the major operating systems, such as Symbian and Microsoft Windows for Smartphone.

"The initiative has received widespread support from leading representatives of the mobile industry, including Orange, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Sun and T-Mobile International," Vodafone and Nokia said in a statement.

"It is expected that a number of these companies will join Nokia and Vodafone to become members of the expert group for the specifications created by this initiative," they added.

"It is important that the end customers -- operators like Vodafone and Orange -- are involved in this process," said Mandatum Stockbrokers analyst Erkki Vesola.

Nokia shares rose 2.5 percent at 9.86 euros, outperforming the 1.7 percent higher DJ Stoxx Eurotech index while Vodafone shares rose 1 percent at 127.57 pence, with the stocks also impacted by a French tax ruling which made it more expensive for the British operator to bid on the remaining SFR shares still owned by Vivendi.

Vodafone and Nokia said they will also work to make it easier to send Java programs to mobile phones over wireless connections and to manage the software components.

"This is expected to result in cost savings for mobile software maintenance," they said.

The initiative will be coordinated with existing standards-setting bodies in the mobile industry, such as the Open Mobile Alliance.

(Additional reporting by Brett Young in Helsinki)