14 DAY TRIAL // Today, wireless carrier Vodafone announced an expansion of its Vodafone 360 services through the launch of a 360 Shop for Android. According to the company, the move is meant to show its commitment to making the 360 Shop available for market-leading handsets. Moreover, it is also meant to provide developers with the option to choose from native or cross-platform solutions.
“The 360 Shop on Android has been designed specifically to ensure that customers can easily search for and browse the applications most suited to their needs and interests. This is achieved through a sophisticated personalised recommendations tool and dynamically changing promotional areas such as best rated, top downloads, categories and filtered lists. Feature content promotions will be run by local market editorial experts to further showcase locally relevant apps. All paid-for content is charged to the customer through operator billing, with funds regularly transferred into the developer’s bank account, making it simple for developers to keep track of revenue,” the wireless carrier announced.
The new 360 Shop on Android offers application developers the possibility to publish either JIL or native Android apps. Moreover, they can also benefit from existing Vodafone options, including a clear pricing, or a transparent review process. The 360 Shop on Android will be accessible straight from the homescreen of specific devices, including HTC Wildfire and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro.
The 360 Shop already includes a number of more than 8,500 apps. The Vodafone 360 services are available in eight European countries on more than 100 devices. According to the wireless carrier, the portal is set to become the destination for all digital content, available for all of the company's subscribers. Not to mention that 360 Music services will be embedded on devices, while a Vodafone People solution is expected to become available for download in the near future.
“Developers want to know that their app will be seen by consumers, and the 360 Shop on Android has been designed to maximise opportunities for content promotion,” said Lee Epting, director of Content Services at Vodafone Group. “Initial data is showing that up to a third of the catalogue gets exposed in a single day. This is a market-leading approach which will allow both customers and developers to get great value out of the 360 Shop.”
Developers interested in delivering applications for the 360 Shop, including solutions made for Android, will find additional details here.