14 DAY TRIAL // PocketGear, Inc. announced today that it had acquired Handango, the leading provider of smartphone applications all around the world. According to the company, the purchase offers it the possibility to deliver more than 140,000 paid and free titles to users globally, including software solutions designed for mobile phones powered by Android, Symbian OS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm, Linux, and Java.
PocketGear and Handango are two of the largest independent app stores in the world, and have generated over $400 million in mobile application revenues. The two companies already cover more than 175 countries globally, and offer solutions for over 2,000 unique mobile devices. Upon the purchase, Jud Bowman will continue to serve as president and CEO of PocketGear, while Alex Bloom, current chief executive of Handango, will become chief operating officer of PocketGear.
“Our vision is to facilitate an open app store ecosystem that supports every mobile device, every application, and every carrier network globally,” said Jud Bowman, president and CEO of PocketGear. “By combining the two largest independent app store companies, we're creating significantly more scale and value for all of the stakeholders in the open app store ecosystem.”
PocketGear's mobile app marketplace now connects more than 32,000 developers in the PocketGear Developer Program, and has more than 40 PocketGear-powered storefront and distribution partners, including companies like Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Research in Motion, Microsoft, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless. Moreover, PocketGear now reaches customers via Handango.com too, in addition to PocketGear.com, Mobile2Day.de, SymbianGear.com, AndroidGear.com, RIMGear.com, Smartphone.net, and PalmGear.com.
“This is an exciting time in the app store market and we're thrilled to be joining forces with PocketGear,” said Alex Bloom, CEO of Handango. “As we increase our scale, not only can we further accelerate speed to market of new devices and applications in a rapidly changing marketplace, but we're also better positioned to help our distribution and developer partners increase the overall revenues per download from both paid and free apps.”