Motorola announced this week that it will establish a complete Java Micro Edition (Java ME) software stack for the mobile industry, under the Apache License Version 2.0.

Motorola will work to align its future Java ME-based developments with Apache's model of licensing and open governance in order to help promote a unified mobile Java platform. This unified platform leads to lower overall development and testing costs, a reduction in time-to-market, and the creation of a larger market opportunity for developers, by helping drive the promise of 'Write Once, Run Everywhere' applications.

''We're very excited Motorola has decided to adopt the Apache model as part of the company's ongoing efforts to open the Java ME platform,'' said Geir Magnusson Jr, vice president, JCP for the Apache Software Foundation. ''Motorola is looking to build an open source community, and the commitment of this mobile leader in Java to the Apache model validates the integral role open source development will continue to play in the mobile device industry.''

Being one of the world's leading wireless manufacturers and an innovator of Java ME (formerly J2ME) technology, Motorola is trying to drive the creation of Java specifications and standards through leadership in organizations like JCP, Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and the Open Source community. In 2003, Motorola was also the first manufacturer to combine the flexibility and scalability of Linux+Java technologies in a single handset through the A760, the world's first Linux+Java handset.