DeviceAtlas

DeviceAtlas is a repository of device profiles and a mobile device detection API[1] created in 2008.

DeviceAtlas
Developer(s) dotMobi (mTLD)
Initial release 12 February 2008 (2008-02-12)
Development status Active
Type API, mobile device detection, JSON
License Free, Commercial
Website deviceatlas.com

History

DeviceAtlas was created by dotMobi,[2] a company established in 2006 to manage the .mobi domain that was financially backed by mobile operators, network and device manufacturers, and Internet content providers.[3] dotMobi and DeviceAtlas were acquired by Afilias in 2010.[4]

DeviceAtlas was one of the first implementations of the Device Description Repository (DDR) concept proposed by the W3C Device Description Working Group (DDWG) in which dotMobi acted as editor. dotMobi co-authored W3C’s DDR Simple API, DDR-VOCAB, and Mobile Web Best Practices documents.[5][6][7] dotMobi was also a member of the currently inactive W3C's Mobile Web Best Practices Working Group.[8][9]

Another implementation of a DDR is WURFL.

Technology overview

DeviceAtlas is a device detection framework that is based on a "database of device information and an API that lets one associate an HTTP request or other device ID to the list of its properties."[10] DeviceAtlas stores device data in a JSON format and allows accessing these information through database API.[11]

The device database consists of profiles of smart device which include various characteristics such as the vendor and model name, OS name, browser, display size, network connectivity, etc.[12]

Web developers can use API calls to analyse HTTP Headers including User Agent string of the requesting browser and return information on the visiting device based on device properties available in the device database. DeviceAtlas’ method for deriving device identification results from multiple data sources is patented under a US patent number 9,043,289 B2. [13]

Example uses

The DeviceAtlas API is used in a number of ways including for content adaptation (also known as Adaptive Web Design),[11][14] REsponsive web design with Server-Side components (RESS),[15] ad serving,[16] and mobile web analytics.[17]

Supported implementations

DeviceAtlas device database API is available in Java, .NET, PHP, Python, Ruby-on-Rails, C++, Node.js. DeviceAtlas device detection capabilities can be used within HTTP accelerators, load balancers and HTTP servers including Varnish Software,[18] HAproxy,[19] Nginx[20] and Apache.[12] Its device database is also available indexed by TAC (Type Allocation Code) through partnership with the GSMA.[21]

Device usage statistics

Device usage data collected by DeviceAtlas is released in the form of quarterly reports. The reports cover various mobile market statistics, such as distribution of phone models, vendors, mobile OSes, mobile browsers, screen sizes, screen resolutions, etc. The findings are regularly covered by a number of independent online publishers including TheNextWeb,[22] PhoneArena,[23] Website Magazine,[24] Ubergizmo,[25] Phandroid,[26] and ITProPortal.[27]

See also

dotMobi

Device Description Repository

W3C Device Description Working Group

WURFL

Mobile Web

User Agent

Content adaptation

Progressive enhancement

Mobile Web Analytics

References

  1. ↑ Warner, Janine; LaFontaine, David (2010-08-20). Mobile Web Design For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9780470931905.
  2. ↑ Staff, Edit (2008-02-13). "DotMobi Launches Specs Database To Ease Development Pain". Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  3. ↑ "DotMobi, Mobile Complete ally for remote handset testing". www.mobilemarketer.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  4. ↑ "Afilias Buys The .Mobi Registry". TheDomains.com. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  5. ↑ "Device Description Repository Simple API". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  6. ↑ "Device Description Repository Core Vocabulary". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  7. ↑ "Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  8. ↑ "The iPhone, dotMobi and the Future of the Mobile Web | Dan's Blog". www.torgo.com. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  9. ↑ "W3C Mobile Web Best Practices Working Group". www.w3.org. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  10. ↑ "Server-Side Device Detection: History, Benefits And How-To". Smashing Magazine. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  11. 1 2 Frederick, Gail; Lal, Rajesh (2010-01-14). Beginning Smartphone Web Development: Building JavaScript, CSS, HTML and Ajax-based Applications for iPhone, Android, Palm Pre, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Nokia S60. Apress. ISBN 9781430226215.
  12. 1 2 Firtman, Maximiliano (2013-03-15). Programming the Mobile Web. "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". ISBN 9781449334970.
  13. ↑ "ESTIMATION OF ERRORS IN ATTRIBUTE VALUES OF AGGREGATED DATABASES". www.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  14. ↑ Thalheim, Bernhard; Schewe, Klaus-Dieter; Prinz, Andreas; Buchberger, Bruno (2015-06-12). Correct Software in Web Applications and Web Services. Springer. ISBN 9783319171128.
  15. ↑ Kurowski, Jerzy; Krenz-Kurowska, Joanna (2013-10-25). RESS Essentials. Packt Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781849696951.
  16. ↑ Daily, Ad Tech. "SpotXchange Chooses DeviceAtlas to Target Ads to Specific Devices". Ad Tech Daily. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  17. ↑ "Digital Intelligence Leader Webtrends Chooses DeviceAtlasfor Device Data in Webtrends Analytics Solutions". Reuters. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  18. ↑ Karstensen, Lasse. "Mobile device detection in Varnish". Blog of Lasse Karstensen. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  19. ↑ "What’s new in HAProxy 1.6 | Hacker News". news.ycombinator.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  20. ↑ "Nginx Web Server Adds Device Detection at Server Layer with dotMobi DeviceAtlas Module - Web Host Industry Review". Web Host Industry Review. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  21. ↑ "About GSMA Device Map". Managed Services. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  22. ↑ "Android Dominates Global Mobile Browsing: Report". The Next Web. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  23. ↑ "Report: 4.7 inches is the most popular phone screen size, and you can guess why". Phone Arena. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  24. ↑ "The Mobile Market's Top Browsers, Screen Sizes & More from Q1 2015 - 'Net Features - Website Magazine". www.websitemagazine.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  25. ↑ 11/20/2015, Tyler Lee on. "4.7-inch Found To Be The Most Popular Phone Screen Size". Ubergizmo. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  26. ↑ "Report suggests consumers prefer smaller phones over phablets". Phandroid - Android News and Reviews. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  27. ↑ "New report reveals deep insights into our smartphone preferences | ITProPortal.com". Retrieved 2015-12-11.
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