Applications
WAP is being used to develop enhanced forms of existing applications and new versions of today's applications. Existing mobile data software and hardware supplies are adding WAP support to their offering, either by developing their own WAP interface or more usually partnering with one of the WAP Gateway suppliers profiled above. WAP is also given a significant impetus for new players to add mobile as a new distribution channel for their existing products and services - for example, CNN and Nokia teamed up to offer CNN Mobile and Reuters and Ericsson teamed up to provide Reuters Wireless Services. The Wireless Application Protocol will allow customers to easily reply to incoming information on the phone by allowing new menus to access mobile services. This is part of the business case for network operators - by making the value-added services more easily to reply to and request (using menus instead of keywords, for example), WAP can help generate additional traffic on the network and therefore revenue.
Previously, application developers wrote proprietary software applications and had to port that application to different network types and bearers within the same platform. By separating the bearer from the application, WAP facilitates easy migration of applications between networks and bearers. As such, WAP is similar to Java in that it simplifies application development. This reduces the cost of wireless application development and therefore encourages entry to the mobile industry by software developers.