ARM announced at the Game Developers' Conference the ARM Mali-JSR297 software for 3D graphics, the first product to enable developers of Java applications to take advantage of the latest hardware graphics features found in OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics processing units, such as the ARM Mali200 GPU. The complete ARM Mali graphics stack is now available for licensing for use with Mali55 and Mali200 GPUs or with legacy chipsets without a Mali GPU. Mali-SVG-t and Mali-JSR226 software are available for immediate delivery; Mali-JSR287 software will be available following ratification of the JSR287 standard, expected by the end of 2008.

    With the established Mali-JSR184 software, ARM is uniquely positioned to offer a complete software and hardware graphics stack and is one of the leading suppliers of middleware that enable 3D graphics to be used in Java games. The Mali-JSR297 software demonstrates a leap in graphics quality that meets consumer demands for advanced-content entertainment on mobile phones.

    Ericsson Mobile Platforms are the lead Partner for the Mali-JSR297 software, complementing the Mali200 GPU and ARM graphics middleware in the groundbreaking HSPA-enabled mobile platform, U500, bringing console class gaming to 2009 feature phones. In order for Java applications to make use of the graphics hardware, handset manufacturers require an efficient software engine that minimizes the number of calculations that Java games need to perform in order to display the graphics.

    With the ARM Mali-JSR297 software, game developers now have complete control over the visual appearance of their games, enabling the creation of graphics displays on mobile phones that are similar to those seen on high-end gaming consoles and PCs. The Mali-JSR297 software builds on ARM's legacy in graphics solutions and eliminates the risk of integration issues. Furthermore, the new features in the Mali-JSR297 software reside beneath the gaming applications that users download to their phones and open up the full power of OpenGL ES 2.0, the API used in leading games consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 3 and which is supported by the Mali200 GPU.

    "The expectations of the gaming community continue to increase, which is driving demand for device manufacturers to deliver the next wave of user experience in mobile gaming. The Mali-JSR297 software will provide game developers with the resources they need to bridge the graphics divide among various gaming platforms," said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research, a leading multimedia and graphics market research firm. "Historically, graphics quality on mobile phones has lagged in comparison to those displayed on a gaming console or computer screens. The software and hardware products that ARM is now offering mean that mobile graphics will now quickly approach the quality of a dedicated games device."

    The ARM Mali-JSR297 software empowers developers with the artistic freedom to produce games with more personality, despite limited display size, which previously had not been possible for mobile Java applications. The Mali-JSR297 software is the latest addition to the Mali graphics stack, a fully integrated set of hardware and software IP that supports all the graphics standards a device manufacturer needs. ARM has further expanded this stack with the recent launch of the Mali-JSR226, Mali-JSR287 and Mali-SVG-t products for the 2D graphics market at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.