Mobile Application Framework (MAF) Support Policy (Doc ID 1994853.1)

Last updated on FEBRUARY 09, 2024

Applies to:

Details

This document summarizes support policies for Oracle Mobile Application Framework (MAF)

The Lifetime Support Policy and Error Correction Support Policy documents provide Oracle's position regarding the support of Oracle Fusion Middleware (FMW) products. With these documents an administrator can plan maintenance activities based on the dates and guidelines provided:

Oracle Lifetime Support
[ http://www.oracle.com/us/support/lifetime-support/index.html ]

Oracle Fusion Middleware Lifetime Support Policy
[ http://www.oracle.com/us/support/library/lifetime-support-middleware-069163.pdf ]

Note 209768.1 Database, FMW, Enterprise Manager, TimesTen In-Memory Database, and OCS Software Error Correction Support Policy

How to use these documents together:

• Oracle Lifetime Support is a page on oracle.com with details on the overall program.
• Lifetime Support Policy (LSP) document gives the program definitions, dates and exceptions for the End of Premier and Extended Support.
• Error Correction Support Policy (ECP) document gives the terminology, rules and guidelines based on different releases in order to coordinate releases and time schedules for error correction support within a product's life cycle.
• This document, which provides extra product specific details to help stay within error correction support during the life cycle of your installed software.

Definitions

• “Major Version” refers to releases of Oracle Mobile Application Framework that typically contain significant changes and/or platform support, such as change in Java support in the framework.   A Major Version is defined by the first two places of MAF’s version number.  For example, for MAF version 2.1.1, the Major Version number is 2.1.
• “Minor Version” refers to releases of Oracle Mobile Application Framework that typically contain minor enhancements and culmination of bug fixes.  A Minor Version is defined by the first three places of MAF’s version number.  For example, for MAF version 2.1.1, the Minor Version number is 2.1.1.
• “Mobile SDK Interfaces” refers to the mechanism where Oracle Development Tools such as JDeveloper interacts with Mobile SDKs and invokes SDK functionality to compile and deploy a MAF application workspace into device native binaries such as an IPA or APK file.

Actions

Premier, Extended, and Sustaining Support

Premier Support for Oracle Mobile Application Framework is provided for one year or the current and previous major release, whichever is longest. Error correction (new fixes) is only provided on the most current minor release for the above major releases. 

Table 1: Premier Support Example

There is no Extended support period for Mobile Application Framework.

The standard Sustaining Support policy applies to Oracle Mobile Application Framework.  Please refer to the Oracle Sustaining Support Policy document for details.

Error Correction Policy

Error corrections, or patches, of Oracle Mobile Application Framework are offered against the current version and the latest Minor Version of the previous Major Version.  This allows the customer to stay on a Major Version if needed, while still being able to receive patches and fixes for Mobile Application Framework.  The following illustrates the Error Correction Policy:

Table 2: Example of MAF Error Correction Policy

In the example above, the current version is 2.1.1.  The latest Minor Version of the previous Major Version is 2.0.2.   Therefore, patches can be requested and delivered against both 2.1.1 and 2.0.2 version.

Exception: In cases where a defect is deemed not feasible to repair on top of the current version, it may be necessary to implement the fix in the next major release.  In some cases, the next major release may not be compatible with the previous operating system version.  Upgrading and/or patching the operating system and/or hardware may be necessary in order to obtain a fix in such cases.

Mobile OS, Device, and SDK Support Policy

For exact combinations of Mobile OS, Device, and SDK support, please consult the certification matrices listed in the Documentation Section of Mobile Application Framework Page on the Oracle Technology Network.

Support for New Versions of Mobile OS, Device, and SDK

New versions of Mobile Operating System and devices are certified against the most current version of the Mobile Application Framework only.  Oracle will do its best effort to certify the current version of MAF using beta versions of the Mobile Operating Systems, and announce support as soon as the certifications are complete.  This process is subject to the availability of beta versions of the Mobile Operating System from the Mobile Platform Vendors, as well as any unexpected differences between beta version and final production version of the Mobile Operating System.  If changes to MAF are required to support a new Mobile Operating System, then Oracle will require the customer to update to a new version of MAF containing the fixes necessary to support a new Mobile Operating System.

New Major Versions of the SDK (for example, Apple Xcode 5.x and 6.x) are certified and supported against the next version of the Mobile Application Framework.  Mobile SDK Interfaces typically change between successive versions of the SDK (for example between Apple Xcode 5.x and 6.x) and are not backward compatible.  Therefore, product changes are typically needed for supporting new major versions of the Mobile SDK. 

New Minor Versions of the SDK (for example, Apple Xcode 5.1.0 and 5.1.1) typically do not introduce changes in the Mobile SDK Interfaces, and therefore they may not require updating to the new MAF versions.  However, this is still subject to change based on possible Mobile SDK Interface changes even between minor versions.

New Mobile Devices may be certified and supported in different major and minor versions of the Mobile Application Framework.   Support may be stated either by specific device models (such as iPhone 4S) or by device that meets certain specifications (for example Android 4.4 devices with more than 1 GB of RAM).

Support for Older Versions of the Mobile OS, Devices, and SDK

Support for older versions of the Mobile Operating System typically ends as new major versions of the MAF are released.  However, dependencies between Mobile Operating System and Mobile SDKs may require ending support for older versions of the Mobile Operating System even in a new MAF Minor Version.  Furthermore, support for older versions of the Mobile Operating System is subject to Mobile Platform Vendor’s support, and Oracle may end support for older versions of a Mobile Operating System, even if that version of the Mobile Operating System was originally certified against a version of MAF still under Premier Support.  For example, if Apple iOS 5 support ends, then Oracle would have to also end iOS5 support accordingly, even if iOS 5 was originally certified against a version of the Mobile Application Framework still under Premier Support.

Older versions of the Mobile SDK are generally not supported, as each version of the Mobile Application Framework generally would require specific versions of the Mobile SDK. 

Support for Devices may change between MAF major and minor versions, because the support is generally dependent on the supported Mobile Operating Systems for these devices.  For example, iPhone 4 can be upgraded to iOS 7 but cannot be upgraded to iOS 8, and in order for MAF to support iOS 8, iPhone 4 support by MAF would end as well.

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