LIGHTWEIGHT DIRECTORY ACCESS PROTOCOL CLIENT

1 . A method comprising:

determining, by a directory client on a mobile device, a subset of applications, having content to be updated, from a plurality of applications resident on the mobile device;

generating a query related to the content for transmission to a directory server according to an application protocol for directory services;

receiving a query result from the directory server in response to the query, the query result including updated information content;

storing the updated information content via the directory client; and

parsing the query result via the directory client to acquire the updated information content for the identified subset of applications.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the application protocol includes a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), and the directory server is an LDAP server.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting executing of the subset of applications; and

invoking the directory client in response to the detection.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating with a back end server to authenticate a user of the mobile device for the transmission of the query.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the query includes a plurality of query strings corresponding to the determined subset of applications.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the applications is downloaded to the mobile device via the directory server.

7 . An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine, by a directory client on a mobile device, a subset of applications, having content to be updated, from a plurality of applications resident on the mobile device,

generate a query related to the content for transmission to a directory server according to an application protocol for directory services,

receive a query result from the directory server in response to the query, the query result including updated information content,

store the updated information content via the directory client, and

parse the query result via the directory client to acquire the updated information content for the subset of identified applications.

8 . An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the application protocol includes a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), and the directory server is an LDAP server.

9 . An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

detect executing of the subset of applications; and

invoke the directory client in response to the detection.

10 . An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

communicate with a back end server to authenticate a user of the mobile device for the transmission of the query.

11 . An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the query includes a plurality of query strings corresponding to the determined subset of applications.

12 . An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein one of the applications is downloaded to the mobile device via the directory server.

13 . A method comprising:

receiving a query, at a server, from a directory client resident on the mobile device according to an application protocol for directory services, wherein the query relates to update of information for one or more applications that are executed on the mobile device; and

generating, by the server, a query result in response to the query, the query result including updated information for the one or more applications.

14 . A method according to claim 13 , wherein the application protocol includes a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP).

15 . A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving account-related information from the directory client; and

authenticating a user of the mobile device based on the received account-related information.

16 . A method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

retrieving content from a content server, wherein the retrieved content is used to create the updated information.

17 . A system comprising:

a server configured to receive a query from a directory client resident on the mobile device according to an application protocol for directory services, wherein the query relates to update of information for one or more applications that are executed on the mobile device,

wherein the server is further configured to generate a query result in response to the query, the query result including updated information for the one or more applications.

18 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the application protocol includes a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP).

19 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the server is further configured to receive account-related information from the directory client, and to authenticate a user of the mobile device based on the received account-related information.

20 . A system according to claim 17 , wherein the server is further configured to retrieve content from a content server, wherein the retrieved content is used to create the updated information.