FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about ScientiaMobile and its products. If you cannot find your answer, feel free to contact us.

How do I update my wurfl data automatically?

The best way to update WURFL’s device data is using the WURFL Updater feature included in WURFL OnSite and WURFL InFuze. Instructions for configuring WURFL Updater are found in your product’s User Guide. After configuration, the Updater will automatically check for and retrieve the latest device data from your my.scientiamobile.com at the frequency you specify.

To configure the WURFL Updater, you need to be a paying customer with a my.scientiamobile.com account. In my.scientiamobile.com, under My Account > View Account (for your subscribed product) > WURFL Snapshot, you will see a customized WURFL Snapshot URL that is inserted into the WURFL Updater.

A new device data snapshot is released weekly on Sunday night. An out-of-band snapshot may be released to our customers between weekly snapshots in case of a significant improvement to the data (for example, if a high-profile device is released mid- week and it is not yet in WURFL). Additional information regarding snapshot generation is available here.

Cloud-based products (WURFL.js and WURFL Query) automatically receive the latest device data and no configuration or update is required. WURFL Microservice for AWS and WURFL Microservice for Docker also automatically update with no additional configuration required.

How frequently is the WURFL API updated? Will a commercial license give me access to newer versions of the APIs?

ScientiaMobile works steadily to deliver API improvements that increase accuracy, accelerates speed, and supports new device capabilities and features.

While there is no rigid schedule for API updates, historically ScientiaMobile releases API updates on a quarterly basis. In addition to weekly updates of the device data snapshot, updating the API is also critical to maintaining accuracy and performance. As part of the annual license, customers are entitled to upgrading to the latest and greatest API release. These API updates will appear in your my.scientiamobile.com when they become available.

We will send an notification of the API update and details on the improvements included in the new release to the email associated with the account. You may manually subscribe to the API update list here if you have another address where you’d like to receive the notifications.

I am trying to detect iPhone models, but I am only getting ‘Apple iPhone’ as a response?

This is due to how Apple has chosen to not reveal the device name along with the User Agent string, thus not making it possible to determine the specific model using only the User Agent. Our WURFL.js Business Edition does successfully identify Apple models. Many customers successfully use WURFL.js Business Edition with other WURFL products.

Can I get a free open source version of WURFL?

As of Release 1.8, the WURFL API is only offered under a commercial license or an evaluation license that expires in 30 days. WURFL is no longer released under AGPL or open source licenses. Users looking for an economical option can consider WURFL.js Lite.

What is the price of a commercial WURFL license?

ScientiaMobile offers several WURFL products, each with the their own license type. In general, for on-premise products (WURFL OnSite, WURFL InFuze and WURFL Microservice for Docker) the price varies based on scope of usage (Mobile Web Optimization, Analytics, Advertising), the number of detections, the number of WURFL Capabilities, the scope of the deployment (single site, multiple sites, OEM), and the size of the company. All of the premise-based products are based on an annual subscription fee.

Pricing for WURFL Microservice for AWS, GCP and Azure can be found at their respective marketplaces.

Cloud-Based products (WURFL Query API, WURFL.js Business Edition) have different pricing plans, but all are billed monthly.

If you have any questions, please contact our sales to learn more about a pricing plan that matches your needs.

Can I add a new device profile to WURFL to manage a new device?

Any WURFL user who would like to add new devices permanently to WURFL can submit a request by emailing wurfldb@scientiamobile.com. Read more about how to do it here.

In addition, if you have requirements specific to your business, then developers can add a WURFL patch file to their system. This patch file mechanism can store enhanced groups and capabilities for new or existing WURFL devices.

I am a device manufacturer/OEM who intends to ensure that its devices are correctly represented in WURFL. How can I make that happen?

Our process already involves including new and popular devices shortly after they become available on the market, but OEMs should make extra sure that devices are correctly represented before the device is released. For this reason, we have a created a device manufacturer partner offering which provides a fast-track into making device data available to the WURFL user base as soon as possible. Please contact ScientiaMobile about this offering.

Any WURFL user who would like to add new devices permanently to WURFL can submit a request by emailing wurfldb@scientiamobile.com. Read more about how to do it here.

Can I modify the API?

The commercial and evaluation licenses do not provide source code for the WURFL API. If you have a compelling business requirement for access to the source code, then please contact us about a commercial license. We strive to improve and maintain the accuracy and performance of the WURFL API. For that reason, we do not encourage customers to modify the API. Nor do we support changes customers make to the API.

What are the limitations of the WURFL OnSite Trial Version?

The WURFL OnSite API included in the trial download is a fully functional version of the latest API release.

The trial's WURFL device data snapshot XML contains a basic set of 15 popular WURFL device capabilities. Contact us if you want to add more WURFL capabilities that are not included in the trial set. ScientiaMobile has more than 500 capabilities to meet your needs.

The XML included with the trial is created once at the same time as the most recent API version release. The trial version XML is not updated weekly (unlike paying customers who do receive weekly updates). Therefore, depending on the length of time since an API version release, the downloaded XML may not have the most recent devices. This trial configuration provides enough performance and accuracy to act as a proof of concept for technical development teams. If you want the most updated version of the XML, then please fill out a sales inquiry and we are more than happy to discuss your requirements.

In terms of licensing, the trial period expires after 30 days from initial download. Trial users are not allowed to use the API or XML after this trial period.

My company uses WURFL for analytics and reporting purposes. Do I need to license WURFL commercially?

Yes. Please contact ScientiaMobile and our sales team will work with you to create an offer that best fits your analytical solution needs. ScientiaMobile treats mobile optimization, advertising, analytics, and image optimization as separate use cases that require specific license terms.

My product bundles WURFL which I sell to multiple customers. Do I need to acquire a single commercial license for each of them?

ScientiaMobile also offers OEM commercial licenses for the WURFL OnSite and WURFL InFuze products. Pricing is based on the number of customers and is considerably lower than the price of multiple single licenses. Please contact ScientiaMobile for details.

What is the license for the WURFL APIs?

As of Release 1.8, the WURFL API is only offered under a Commercial license or an Evaluation license that expires in 30 days. WURFL is no longer released under AGPL or Open Source licenses.

What is the renewal timeframe on the WURFL license?

Premise-based products (WURFL OnSite, WURFL InFuze, WURFL Microservice for Docker) renew based on an annual fee. These fees provide access to updates to clients, APIs or device data within the scope of their particular product during that initial and renewal timeframe.

Cloud-based products (WURFL Query API, WURFL.js), are billed monthly.

What is a CUSTOMER VAULT?

ScientiaMobile serves commercial licensees of WURFL by offering them a personal virtual space in which they can access licensed and updated versions of WURFL products. We call this a customer vault. Every user who registers with ScientiaMobile may obtain access to their customer vault via a username and password. The customer vault is populated with products and services as the user purchases commercial licensees.

What do commercial WURFL licensees find in their CUSTOMER VAULT?

The customer vault contains the software that has been purchased and their the associated licenses. WURFL OnSite and WURFL InFuze customers will find several weeks of the WURFL device data updates. ScientiaMobile releases a new WURFL device data update every week. For products that include weekly device data updates, the customer vault also contains a personalized URL linking to the latest WURFL device data snapshot. This WURFL Snapshot URL should be entered into the WURFL Updater configuration.