Apple App Store vs Wholesale Apps Community

The world’s leading telecommunications operators and device manufacturers are launching an open global alliance, that will establish a simple route to market for developers and provide access to the latest and widest range of innovative applications and services to as many customers as possible worldwide.

Current members:

  • América Móvil
  • AT&T
  • Bharti Airtel
  • China Mobile
  • China Unicom
  • Deutsche Telekom
  • KT
  • Mobilkom Austria Group
  • MTN Group
  • NTT DoCoMo
  • Orange
  • Orascom Telecom
  • Softbank Mobile
  • Telecom Italia
  • Telefónica, Telenor Group
  • Telia Sonera
  • SingTel
  • SK Telecom
  • Sprint
  • Verizon Wireless
  • VimpelCom
  • Vodafone and Wind
  • Samsung
  • LG
  • Sony Ericsson

Purpose of the alliance is "to create a ’wholesale applications community’ that will establish a simple route to market for developers, in turn, providing access to the latest and widest range of innovative applications and services to as many customers as possible worldwide. This alliance will deliver scale unparalleled by any application distribution ecosystem in existence today”.

The terms of the new service is still unclear.