Ericsson unveils apps store for operators

Nicole McCormick | February 16, 2010

telecomseurope.net

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Ericsson has launched a mobile apps store aimed at operators rather than subscribers.

Ericsson said the eStore would allow operators to easily “set up and offer mobile phone users an application store.”

The eStore includes more than 30,000 free and paid applications.

Ericsson claims that eStore “content is available for thousands of handset models” and that eStore applications are “continuously verified for many of the most popular feature and smartphones on the market today.”

"Our eStore makes it possible for the user to access a wide collection of applications from any mobile phone of choice," said Jan Wäreby, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Multimedia, Ericsson.

Ericsson’s web browser partner in the venture is Opera Software, which is providing its Opera Mobile, Opera Mini and Opera Widgets technology.

"Due to Opera’s cross-platform capabilities, we are able to help Ericsson deliver Web based solutions across a wide range of devices," said Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software.

For developers, eStore means one app can be picked up by several operators.

Sister firm Sony Ericsson launched its traditional mobile apps store PlayNow in June last year.

It has also joined the Wholesale Applications Community, which intends to build a wholesale ecosystem for mobile application developers.

But Ericsson maintains that its eStore offers a “broad portfolio of multimedia solutions targeting both telecom operators and new customer groups such as broadcasters and media houses.”

“Application platforms, service delivery and revenue management solutions, combined with content developer and application provider relationships, enable Ericsson to help customers create exciting and different multimedia services,” the vendor said.

“One example is charging and billing which now supports over 1 billion subscribers all over the world.”

Source:

Nicole McCormick