Sony Ericsson to launch India app store by Q1 2010

Handset manufacturer Sony Ericsson will probably announce its applications store in India by the first quarter of the next year. An App store, usually hosted online or on mobile internet, allows users to download applications providing entertainment, utilities and games etc. Other big companies who have already launched their stores in India include RIM’s (Research in Motion) BlackBerry app world and Nokia’s Ovi. Nokia has been actively promoting Ovi in India whereas BlackBerry is a recent entrant in India.
Speaking to Telecom Yatra, Natasha Dutta, manager, marketing and communications, Sony Ericsson Developer World, said, “We already have free content on our applications Fun and Downloads. However, there is no proper paid channel market.” Dutta stated the company plans to have its app store by the first quarter of 2010. With an aim to provide a platform to the developers of India, Sony Ericsson Developer World (SEDW), a global support programme for software developers and a web portal, has announced the launch of its ‘Get on the Train to Fame’ contest. Through this contest, developers will get an opportunity to feature on the Sony Ericsson application channels – PlayNow and Fun & Downloads that are available to consumers in 70 countries. The best prospective application every week will win a Satio (Idou), a high-end Symbian smartphone by Sony Ericsson. The contest also offers developers a chance to receive 70 per cent of the revenue from the sales of their applications.
The aim of the contest is to encourage developers to submit innovative content for multiple platforms or operating systems such as Java, Symbian, Windows and Android. The best prospective application or game will be announced every week.
Dutta further informs, “The contest has been launched today and closes four weeks from now.” Commenting on the promotion front, she said, “We are promoting it primarily through digital media in the form of social forums, Google groups and extensively in developer communities.”
The categories under which applications and games can be developed for applications are communication, entertainment, education, health & lifestyle, languages, location services, music, productivity, sport, web applications, email, messaging, security, travel and others.