Java ME: De-fragmentation

The deployment of the Java ME Platform over a wide range of phones has resulted in slightly different solutions for a given application on each phone. This is common practice today, often resulting in 400 or more different executables for a given title. However, this is not a sustainable way of delivering software as it is expensive to develop, test and sign, deliver, and maintain a different executable for each phone. Continuing this practice will result in ever increasing operational costs and the possibility of the Java ME Platform becoming a commercial failure.
A better plan is to deliver software that is more adaptable and will run on a wide range of devices as this practice will greatly reduce the number of versions of the executable. Some commercial and complex applications have proven that this is possible by covering hundreds of phones with a handful of versions using straightforward programming techniques.
This aim (to de-fragment) is backed by many significant bodies in the industry and is now possible due to increased capability of the devices. It is no longer necessary for most applications to squeeze the limits of the device. In fact, improved programming techniques can be used to accommodate variations such as screen size, keyboard values or memory. As in standard programming, these variations can and should be handled by the application.