In a press release today, Chinese electronics manufacturer ZTE announced its plans to open a carrier-centric, cloud-based app store at next week’s Mobile World Congress. The store will allow wireless providers to “manage their own-branded delivery services and content” online and off; the store can also be configured to work on PCs and tablets.
“Operators can in turn give their customers access to a vast range of applications and content such as videos, games, animations and books,” reads the press release. “Many middle/small operators around the world are expected to take advantage of the applications store services to expand and develop their business.”
The name of this newfangled store? iMarket — let the lawsuits begin. Hit the jump for the full press release.
ZTE to Launch Cloud-based iMarket at Mobile World Congress 2011
Mobile World Congress 2011
SHENZHEN, China–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced it will launch its cloud-based applications store iMarket to global operators at the telecoms industry’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week.As content and applications (apps) continue to grow in importance for mobile device users, ZTE developed the iMarket with the aim of establishing a strong position as a provider of operator services and devices, as well as to offer operators a converged trading and services platform that can become a core part of their business. Operators can in turn give their customers access to a vast range of applications and content such as videos, games, animations and books. Unlike other online application stores, the ZTE iMarket will not only be able to run on the existing terminals like handsets, PCs, but also the tablets (known in the industry as quadruple screens).
The ZTE iMarket is also a cloud-based service. Operators simply manage their own-branded delivery services and content through the iMarket platform. Depending on the type of content the user wants to use, all ZTE iMarket products can either be downloaded and used offline, or experienced online. ZTE can provide operators with platform deployment, operation consultancy and software applications according to the individual operators’ requirements. Many middle/small operators around the world are expected to take advantage of the applications store services to expand and develop their business.
ZTE iMarket is ready now to help build operators’ business development. In 2010, ZTE established its corporate-level partnership system to provide partners with long-term support by a system of resource-sharing, a communications platform, and an open and innovative business model with benefits for both parties. Tens of thousands of applications are already available on the ZTE iMarket and the providers of these applications will continue to work with ZTE to develop the business around the world. ZTE will play the role of coordinator and collector to help operators continue to improve the iMarket service and experience.
ZTE Vice President and General Manager of Services Products Yu Yifang said: “ZTE has made major investments in the development of cloud computing, and mobile Internet applications including the Internet of Things in recent years. In 2010, ZTE Internet of Things was deployed at Expo 2010 Shanghai and received a CDMA Development Group Award. ZTE iMarket is a continuation of those significant developments.”
ZTE iMarket is already in commercial use with the world’s largest WCDMA operator, China Unicom. The two companies are cooperating on a wide range of programmes including services design, services operations and developer recruitment.
