Twenty-four telecoms operators have banded together to bring applications to all mobile users, tapping into a market of more than three billion customers around the world.
The Wholesale Applications Community aims to create an open platform that will allow the creation and distribution of software to phones, regardless of the technology they use or who manufactures it. Telefonica and Vodafone are among the operators taking part, with US operators AT&T, Sprint and Verizon also signing up.
The alliance is designed to unite what it describes as a “fragmented marketplace”. At present, Apple is dominating the app development market, with more than 140,000 available in its App Store, which has already passed the 3 billion download milestone. Nokia, meanwhile, has its OviStore, Android has the Android Marketplace and Palm has its own separate store. Mobile operators also offer applications for download.
The new alliance will make it easier for developers to get their software to the market and to a wide range of potential customers.
The announcement was made as the GSMA Mobile World Congress got underway today in Barcelona, Spain. The four-day event brings together mobile manufacturers, software developers and service providers at one exhibition.
"The GSMA is fully supportive the Wholesale Applications Community, which will build a new, open ecosystem to spur the creation of applications that can be used regardless of device, operating system or operator," said chief executive Rob Conway.
The alliance is backed by hardware manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG.
Analysts are welcoming the move. IDC’s Jonathan Arber said it is important to developers to reach the largest market in a way that is as efficient as possible.
“The Wholesale Applications Community initiative can meet these criteria by providing a simple, single point of access to a large number of operator storefronts. The initiative should also help to drive uptake of existing, open standards among developers, operators and manufacturers, thereby reducing fragmentation and benefiting the whole industry," he said.
The operators aren’t the only organisations embracing more open standards. Earlier today, Nokia and Intel announced they would form an alliance to produce an open platform that would work across a variety of devices, including phones, netbooks and connected TVs. The MeeGo brand will combine the Maemo and Moblin brands, and is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2010.
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced its new Windows mobile software, Windows Phone 7, promising to create an “ecosystem" that would benefit both users and developers. It said its software would integrate with third party applications as well as native Windows Phone 7 software to create “hubs” on the phone for images, video and games.