250 Million Mobile Phones, 650 Million Desktops, 500 Million SIM and Smart Cards, and a Hundred Million Other Locations

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/–Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), the creator and leading advocate for Java™ technology, today demonstrated the ubiquity and security of the Java platform by announcing that 1.5 billion devices around the world are powered by Java technology. Java technology is the essential ingredient for a better digital and connected experience. It powers everything from secure identity cards to mobile phones, printers, Web cams, automobile telematics, desktops, medical equipment, servers, jet engines, the navigation controls for NASA’s Mars Rover, and more. Everything of value connected to the network is benefiting from Java technology today.

New Java technology-based digital identity smart card deployments include the National Aeronautic and Science Administration (NASA) and the Government of Thailand. These new wins build on Java technology handset momentum, currently deployed by 77 operators worldwide including AT&T Wireless, China Mobile, China Unicom, Cingular Wireless, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and many others.

“The costs and risks of viruses and identity theft have become everyday issues for CIOs and individual consumers. As a result, the community has increasingly turned to Java technology because of its ubiquity and security to protect both data and services,” said Jonathan Schwartz, executive vice president of software, Sun Microsystems. “Java technology is unparalleled, now running in over 1.5 billion devices worldwide. This installed base presents a huge revenue opportunity for developers, ISVs, service providers, device manufacturers, and operators and its continued growth keeps the community healthy and creative.”

Java Technology Expanding Everywhere

Java technology is everywhere–over 1.5 billion worldwide footprints and growing 25% since June of 2002. In the mobile data services market, compelling new content has brought 2.5 and 3G networks to life worldwide, operators have standardized on Java technologies in handsets to power mobile data services and GSM SIM Cards to authenticate network access and SIM-based applications. Java technology-based smart cards are also being adopted by many corporations and governments for identity solutions. In the traditional computing market, the growth of alternative desktops and the user requirements for Java technology have led to many new desktop licensing agreements, while the expansion of Java Web services is driving the adoption of the Java platform from server infrastructure to the edge of the network.

This rapid growth is due to the inherent strengths of Java technology in several areas:

• Secure off-line operation helps make Java technology the preferred environment for mobile gaming, which is a rapidly increasing revenue driver for mobile operators.
• Secure authentication enables convenience with confidence as mobile users, both consumers and employees, continue to increase device use in their daily lives.
• The Java platform runs everywhere, so content and services can be designed for the maximum market opportunity.
• Over three million Java developers across the globe developing the most advanced enterprise and consumer applications to enable the personal network.

One Platform, One Brand, New Destination

Announced in June of 2003, the java.com Web portal is the central market destination for the Java technology ecosystem. Since its debut, there have been over 30 million content downloads and the portal showcases the latest mobile Java applications to more than 7 million monthly visitors. The java.com Web portal provides a source of the latest mobile Java content to global wireless operators and content providers including Sorrent! and Sony and is a channel enabling developers to gain access to mobile operators and millions of end users around the world.

Java Technology Powers Mobile Data Services

With 250 million Java technology-enabled mobile phones from 31 manufacturers deployed in 77 operator networks and a half-billion Java™ Card secure digital identity deployments in smart card and mobile phone environments, Java technology continues its growth as the number-one content platform for mobile data services. Java technologies provide content vendors and carriers a rich and secure mobile data services platform to realize increased average revenue per unit (ARPU) through compelling applications and services. The market has seen a recent explosion of innovative new wireless services and applications built using Java technologies for 2.5G and 3G mobile phones. Enterprises are also beginning to extend their infrastructure to mobile employees and customers to realize operational efficiency and increased revenue opportunities.

Java Technology Powers Network Security

From securing the nation’s transportation infrastructure to efficiently delivering government services, the answer is secure authentication of a person’s identity. Java Card technology for digital identification is one of the best secure, multi-factor authentication technology for ensuring trust and privacy of a person’s identity.

Today, Sun highlighted new Java technology-based smart card deployments including:

• National Aeronautic and Science Administration: NASA is planning to issue a Java technology-based “One NASA” smart card to increase agency security and simplify security management. The smart card helps ensure advanced levels of identity assurance and enables consolidation of all employee and contractor access cards into a single card for entry to NASA centers, facilities or computer systems. Beginning with trials at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, NASA expects to ultimately deploy more than 100,000 smart cards by the end of 2005.

• Government of Thailand: Simplifying access to government services and protecting against identity theft, the Thai government will begin issuing the first of 62 million Java technology-based smart cards to its citizens and government representatives in April 2004. The multi-function ID cards is designed to contain personal ID, fingerprints, tax, social welfare and social security numbers, agricultural data and healthcare data. Using the ID cards, citizens will be able to access government services at e-government kiosks nationwide and by smart card readers integrated into desktop computers.

Sun Microsystems plans to demonstrate how Java technology helps enable mobility with security everywhere at the following industry events in February:

• “Making Money With Java Technology” press/analyst panel. Venue: Salon Le Cote, Carlton Intercontinental Hotel, 58 la Croisette Time: 17:00-18:00 Panel Discussion; 18:00 Cocktails. Date: February 24, 2004 (Tuesday) at 3GSM World Congress
  Sun 3GSM Virtual Press Room: http://www.sun.com/presskits/3gsm2004/index.html

• RSA Security Conference (2/24-2/27) San Francisco, California Booth #1021 Jonathan Schwartz, EVP of Software, keynote speech on 2/25 at 4:00pm

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision–“The Network Is The Computer”™–has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com.

NOTE: Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Java, Java Card, The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

For More Information:

Rebecca Lui
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
(408) 276-5292
rebecca.lui@sun.com

Noel Hartzell for Sun Microsystems Inc.
Citigate Cunningham
(415) 618-8739
nhartzell@citigatecunningham.com