Wireless Bitmap (.wbmp)

The WBMP file extension, which refers to Wireless Bitmap, is a monochrome graphics format tailored for mobile computing devices. Developed by the WAP Forum, WBMP files are optimized for wireless communication networks, particularly mobile phones and PDAs. This format is a simplified version of the standard BMP (Bitmap) format, supporting only 1-bit image data, meaning each pixel is either black or white. This monochrome nature ensures minimal file sizes, crucial for devices with limited storage and bandwidth. In the early days of mobile technology, when devices had limited processing power and display capabilities, WBMP was widely used. It facilitated the efficient transmission of graphical information over the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), enabling features like sending images via SMS.

A WBMP file's structure is straightforward, consisting of a header followed by the image data. The header includes information about the image type, width, and height, while the image data is stored as a series of bytes, with each bit representing a pixel. A black pixel is denoted by a 0, and a white pixel by a 1. This simplicity made WBMP an ideal choice for early mobile applications, as it required minimal processing power to decode and display images. However, as mobile technology advanced and devices began to support more complex and colorful graphics, the use of WBMP declined. Today, it is largely considered obsolete, replaced by more versatile image formats that can handle higher resolutions and color depths. Despite its decline, WBMP remains an important part of mobile computing history, illustrating the evolution of mobile graphics and the challenges of early wireless communication.