Middleware for the Wireless Web

Middleware provides the means by which network applications communicate across the network. The role of middleware is gaining in importance as more wireless and wide-band services develop. The number of wireless Web users is expected to increase to 96 million in 2005. Middleware is playing an increasing role in delivering mobile multimedia, and such interactive services as short messaging and location-specific directories. Several key obstacles, however, stand in the way of implementing middleware more widely; among them, network security issues, bandwidth, and client software.