AT&T Debuts 'Open Call - Apps For All!' Developer Competition

Wireless carrier AT&T announced recently the launch of a new competition for application developers out there, dubbed “Open Call - Apps For All!,” and which is set to take place at the CTIA Wireless convention in Las Vegas March 23-24. According to the company, the competition is meant to identify the most innovative wireless applications in the country, and is announced as an evolution of AT&T’s Fast-Pitch contest, which has been held at CTIA for the past four years.

According to the mobile phone carrier, developers presenting the best applications and content will receive cash prizes, as well as exclusive marketing opportunities, not to mention that they will earn the title of 2010 Open Call winner. There are four categories in which developers can compete, including Brew Mobile Platform (BMP), Android, Java & RIM, and an “Open” category that will include applications and content of all platforms. The company is set to give a prize of $10,000 to the winner in each of the four categories.

“Developers are key to the mobile ecosystem and we’ve made it a strategic priority to provide them with more opportunities to reach our customers with new and innovative applications,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Our goal with Open Call is to encourage developers to use their creativity and technical talent to help our customers do more with their devices.”

The new Open Call competition is announced as being opened to all developers who wish to present exciting new applications that might arrive at a certain point on handsets sold to AT&T's customers. The carrier also says that developers will have to briefly present their software solution to judges, and that they will decide whether an application deserves further consideration or not.

“The deadline for submissions is midnight Pacific Time on March 1, 2010. Developers can enter only one contest category at http://attopencall.com. An AT&T representative will contact presenters in early March to schedule the Open Call meetings. Those invited to present will have five minutes to pitch their applications to a panel of judges in private meeting rooms, with time for Q&A afterwards. Content and applications can be presented on a working handset or simulator, if needed,” the company concludes.