Optus launches mobile app store for business

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 18 February 2010 15:47

Business IT - Technology

Optus has launched its own mobile app store targeted at business customers, claiming it to be the first such initiative from an Australian mobile carrier.

At launch, Optus claims the store offers "hundreds of built-for-business applications, supported by scores of industry leading devices and operating systems." Optus is also seeking expressions of interest from anyone interested in developing business mobile applications for sale through the store.

The four main platforms (other than iPhone) are supported: Symbian, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Android. Launch of the store follow the launch of Optus' consumer mobile app store late last year that now has close to 1000 apps.

Users entering the store for the first time are presented with a choice of small business or corporate, but unless they use a different browser they do not get this option on subsequent visits.

An Optus spokesman told iTWire that, at present there was little differentiation between the two. "We will be working with the developer community and third parties to make those more audience specific. The store has been designed so we can tailor it to each audience."

He added that Optus had worked with Cellmania for the initial content, "but we are looking to work much more with the developer community to make sure that our apps are useful and up to date."

California based Cellmania boasts that its mFinder system offers "a complete turnkey content system with content management, digital rights management, and over-the-air delivery for applications and mobile content such a music, videos, wallpaper and ringtones.

Telstra also uses mFinder. According to Cellmania, Telstra uses "a highly customised version of mFinder [that allows] Telstra customers to access mobile Internet sites related directly to Australia and j2ME content that has completely managed onboarding and payment delivery systems. Telstra customers may also access the entire mFinder directory of more than 15,000 applications."