20:20 Mobile has partnered with Handmark, a world-leading creator and provider of top quality mobile content. Through the partnership, Handmark will be the main provider of mobile news services, games, applications, and other products across multiple mobile platforms for the 20:20 mobile apps stores.
In recent months 20:20 Mobile has extended their portfolio of business applications substantially, adding applications as a standalone product portfolio to complement handset and accessory distribution.
The store proposition is a fully hosted transactional site offering a full end to end solution including customer support with thousands of applications across a wide range of genres and mobile operating systems for most popular handsets. Each retailer’s proposition will be specifically tailored by 20:20 Mobile to suit the needs of the end consumer.
Apple’s own ‘App Store’ has demonstrated the potential consumer demand for mobile phone applications. However until now there have been very few solutions to offer a ‘one stop shop’ for customers of other handset brands. 20:20’s solution will provide applications for nearly 90% of all smartphones sold this year giving extensive coverage of the market and consumer groups.
20;20 Sales Director, David Hinc, who has been responsible for delivering 20:20 Mobile’s application strategy said:- “Our White Label Application Store enables retailers and other brands a simple ‘off the shelf’ go-to-market proposition that allows them to exploit the massive upsurge in demand for mobile applications without the substantial capital expenditure or experience required to build a solution for themselves. The web architecture allows for a number of brand integration solutions according to our partners’ individual requirements. Our key USP, in contrast to most other application stores, is that our store caters for multiple Operating Systems including Android as well as offering a huge Java based catalogue and therefore applications and games can be sold for most popular handsets as well as Smartphones including Nokia, Blackberry and Windows Mobile Devices”.
James Browning, 20:20 Mobile (UK) Managing Director commented:- “Our White Label Applications Store was the next logical progression to providing our channel partners with a true one-stop shop capability for mobile devices, mobile accessories and now mobile applications. We are undoubtedly leading the market in the wholesale distribution of mobile applications in both B2B and consumer markets. We chose to partner Handmark because of their experience and capability in this market, and moreover for their pro-active approach to deliver what we wanted from the first engagement.- The key element for me is the user’s ability to shop by manufacturer or handset and choose the applications best suited to their phone. Downloading is simple with all applications delivered over the air.
Evan Conway, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Handmark said:- “We are pleased to work together with 20:20 Mobile as they help to expand mobile content offerings through major retailers and brands in the UK. With more than 10 years experience as a leader in the mobile content business, our catalogue of games and applications is the best in the industry and a great compliment to 20:20’s Mobile Apps Store offering.
The launch of 20:20’s white label Applications Store is perfectly timed to capitalise on the growth in Smartphone handset sales, the fastest growing area of the mobile market.
20:20 Mobile UK Head of Marketing Richard Jones commented: “Our proposition couldn’t have been launched at a better time for our partners. The addressable market for application is growing as sales of devices with open operating systems continue to expand faster than any other segment.
June retail sales of open OS handsets were over double the figure recorded in the same period last year and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of mobile applications and what they can do. This represents a significant opportunity to take a foothold into a rapidly developing market.”