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Oracle Propose New Mobile OpenJDK Project

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Oracle have proposed a new project to reinvigorate the state of mobile Java. If adopted by OpenJDK, the new Mobile Project will focus on porting OpenJDK to popular mobile platforms such as iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile.

Bob Vandette, the proposed Lead for the new project confirmed that Oracle intend to make substantial IP contributions to this new Project, which would be based on OpenJDK 9, in a headless mode. The specifics include support for:

  1. The equivalent of Java 8's compact2 profile (but as Java 9 modules)
  2. iOS x64 and arm64 (arm64 via the Zero no-assembly pure C++ interpreter)
  3. Android x86 and arm (32-bit with JIT enabled)
  4. Windows 10 x64 Surface Pro
  5. JavaLauncher helper interface (to simplify including Java in Mobile applications)

Oracle plans on contributing the build system, along with the Hotspot and JDK source changes required to target mobile platforms. The announcement seems to indicate that Oracle would include the ability to produce static Java runtimes, as iOS has restrictions on certain types of dynamic code transformations that are commonly performed by Java runtimes.

This proposal still has to be ratified by the eligible voting members of OpenJDK, but seems to have support in early voting. Whilst many industry commentators had assumed that mobile Java meant either Android or the declining JavaME technologies, this announcement shows that Oracle still believe that they can find a market for "real" Java on modern mobile platforms.

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