France Telecom’s Orange has become the latest mobile operator to move into the apps store space, announcing today the launch of the ‘Orange App Shop.’ The service is available initially ‘over-the-air’ to 1 million customers in France and the UK via Orange Signature devices made by Nokia and Sony Ericsson. From January, these devices will ship preloaded with App Shop. Support for Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola and RIM (BlackBerry) handsets is also in the pipeline, and the store is able to run across multiple platforms including Java, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile. The store launches with over 5,000 applications, games, ringtones and wallpapers and includes Orange services such as Orange TV, Orange Games and Orange Maps, as well as third-party content. All purchases are automatically added to an Orange mobile bill, so customers do not need to pre-register or use personal credit cards.
Following the launches in UK and France, Orange says it will roll-out the service to Spain, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Belgium, Austria, Moldova and Portugal in 2010. In each market it says it will provide localised content in the catalogue that best meets specific market needs. It adds that it has been “working closely with its premium content providers and developer partners to enhance its application delivery process.” However, it did not reveal its revenue share arrangement with third parties; most current app store models see the platform owner take around a 30 percent revenue cut. Orange joins other operators such as Vodafone and Verizon Wireless in launching an apps store to rival those offered by handset vendors. App stores will be a major focus of the upcoming GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona; check out more details on the event's App Planet here.
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