In brief...

• The user interface has been extended to support such things as pop-up windows, and active strings and images

• Greater control of screen layout, including the ability to set constraints on the sizes of items on a form

• Custom form items: applications are no longer limited to the basic set of form items, but can implement new types in Java

• Support for simple audio playback (MIDP2.0 devices must support a small subset of the features in the MMAPI. Vendors can support MMAPI as well, of course)
• Sprite API to simplify screen management in graphical applications, particularly games
• Support for HTTPS, raw TCP/IP and UDP, and serial ports
• Application settings now provide for a configuration by which MIDlets can be activated by external events. This is is called the `push architecture' in the documentation.
• A MIDP2.0 device must be able to retrieve MIDlet suites by over-the-air (OTA) access. In fact, most MIDP1.0 devices support OTA provisioning, but it was not compulsory.
• Support for `signed MIDlets'. Like a Java applet, a MIDlet can now be signed, that is have appended to it an encrypted hash of its contents. The signature provides a robust method for determining the identity of the distributor of the MIDlet. The operator of the device can use that knowledge to choose to allow the MIDlet greater access to the device's runtime environment.

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