Selective update of core mobile device user interface through application marketplace

摘要

Systems and methods for selectively updating or extending built in functionality on a mobile device are disclosed. The updates may be provided to selective portions of software such that the entire software does not need to be replaced. The update may be provided through an application marketplace that provides third party software applications for mobile devices. The software that the mobile device is shipped with may include a number of “entry points,” which provide functionality that may be extended through the selective updates. When the entry point is triggered by user selection, a determination may be made whether code for the functionality is already available on the mobile device. If not, the mobile device may contact the application marketplace to determine if code is available to provide or extend the requested functionality.

主权项

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:
providing a user interface in a mobile device for selecting a plurality of functionalities associated with a plurality of entry points for launching the plurality of functionalities, each of the entry points includes an identifier that is associated with the code that provides the functionality for the entry point receiving a user request for a first functionality of the plurality of functionalities associated with a first of the entry points; determining that code that provides the first functionality is not available on the mobile device; sending a request for the code to an application marketplace in response to determining that the code is not available on the mobile device, the application marketplace serves third party applications for mobile devices; installing the code on the mobile device in response to the request for the code being granted, the installed code is also for providing a second of the functionalities associated with a second of the entry points; and sending a parameter to the installed code that indicates that the first entry point was selected.