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DoCoMo to roll out app store
08 July 2010
DoCoMo CEO Ryuji Yamada says the company will start an app store to allow independent providers to develop and sell mobile applications
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DoCoMo
NTT
app store
Softbank
Japan
i-mode
iPhone
NTT DoCoMo is planning to introduce an Apple-style application platform for its mass market i-mode handsets. The Japanese mobile operator is looking to add the platform to its closed i-mode data service.
DoCoMo CEO Ryuji Yamada said the company will allow independent third-party providers to develop handset applications and also help to sell them through a DoCoMo market. The company says it will maintain checks on them to ensure they do not affect public order or decency.
Currently, the company charges a commission on the revenues generated by content providers from i-mode services of 9%. The commission for applications offered through its new market will be “somewhat higher,” said Yamada.
DoCoMo hopes the portal will help it to stop or slow its decreasing market share, as competitor Softbank, the sole provider of Apple’s iPhone in Japan, is growing faster in subscriber numbers. Nokia, Research in Motion and Samsung have rolled out application platforms in the past two years. GTB