CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Google Inc., Nokia Corp., Vodafone Group plc and others are hoping to spur uptake of the wireless Web with a set of development guidelines for Internet publishers.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) unveiled the initial draft of instructions for developers “on how to create content that makes browsing convenient on mobile devices.” The guidelines, which were developed by representatives from 30 W3C organizations, address potential roadblocks to uptake including pop-up advertisements and page-scrolling.
“There are many devices, but one Web,” said Daniel Appelquist, the senior technology strategist for Vodafone Group, who oversaw the project. “Practical guidelines on how to create content once that can be delivered to the plethora of devices saves developers and organizations time and money, and has the added benefit of not breaking the Web.”
The group is one of a handful of organizations looking to serve as a catalyst for wireless Web usage by establishing “best practices” for developers and content providers. The Mobile Marketing Association has issued similar guidelines for mobile Internet ads, while the wireless trade association CTIA is working to create a ratings system for mobile content.
