Understanding Bada: A Comprehensive Guide
Bada, a smartphone platform developed by Samsung Electronics, has been a significant player in the mobile market. This article aims to provide you with a detailed and multi-dimensional introduction to Bada, covering its history, architecture, development environment, and its impact on the mobile industry.
History and Background
Bada was first introduced in 2009 and was designed to be an open but not open-source platform. It was based on the Linux kernel and aimed to create a smartphone experience that was accessible to everyone. The platform was supported by a range of devices, including the Samsung Wave series, and had a significant following among developers and users.
Architecture
The Bada architecture consists of several layers, each serving a specific purpose. These layers include:
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Kernel | Contains the real-time operating system or Linux core, depending on the terminal hardware configuration. |
| Terminal | Includes the core functions of the mobile terminal provided by the terminal operating system, graphics, multimedia functions, and communication components. These functions include mobile communication, security mechanisms, graphics, events, and window management. |
| Service | Contains service-oriented functions provided by the application engine and auxiliary server components. The application engine, provided by the service layer, includes communication and message engine modules. The auxiliary server features are provided by the RESTful web-service components, which inline the Bada service components. The service allows applications to manage data stored on the remote service end, such as geographic information and user business information. We can access the features of the auxiliary server through the APIs of the Framework layer. |
| Framework | Contains the Bada C and web frameworks. The C framework constitutes the application framework, providing access to the underlying functions. The application framework provides some features for managing the application lifecycle, event handling, and application control. The interface elements provided by the open API framework include basic service interfaces for applications to manage data types, tools, basic terminal features, application status, and create user interfaces. The web framework provides good standards and properties, such as WAC 2.0, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In addition, there are JavaScript-based cross-platform APIs for UI control and event handling. |
Development Environment
The Bada development environment was based on Eclipse, a popular integrated development environment (IDE). Developers could download the SDK from the Samsung Developer website and use it to create applications for the Bada platform. The SDK included tools for compiling, debugging, and testing Bada applications.
Impact on the Mobile Industry
Bada had a significant impact on the mobile industry, particularly in the areas of open-source development and user experience. The platform provided a new opportunity for developers to create innovative applications and services, and it also offered users a unique and customizable smartphone experience. However, despite its potential, Bada faced stiff competition from established platforms like iOS and Android, and it eventually faded from the market.
Conclusion
Bada was a significant player in the mobile industry, offering a unique and innovative platform for developers and users. While it may no longer be actively developed, its impact on the industry is still evident. This article has provided you with a comprehensive introduction to Bada, covering its history, architecture, development environment, and its impact on the mobile industry.