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Korean cellular carriers open unified app retailer

By Sarah ChenKorea
2 min read
20140728103026 47411452341
20140728103026 47411452341
In this article (5)

South Korean cellular carriers have opened a unified app retailer for his or her smartphone customers, as a part of an effort to bolster their presence within the rising app content material sector dominated by two app giants: Google and Apple.

The One Retailer is a consolidated cellular model of KT‘s Olleh Market; T Retailer operated by SK Planet, the platform arm of SK Telecom; and U+ Retailer by LG Uplus.

It’s out there for a smartphone consumer by way of a model improve of the prevailing app market on the handset.

An app developer can now promote their product on the app market by importing the product solely as soon as on the One Retailer, whereas up to now they needed to register it individually on the prevailing app shops.

The requirements for creating an app have additionally been harmonised so app creators gained’t have to make totally different apps for every app retailer, the cellular carriers stated.

The launch of the One Retailer got here two months after saying the plan to combine the web content material market that had been run individually by every telecom firm.

In accordance with market watchers, cellular carriers felt the necessity to be a part of forces for the app content material sector towards Google’s Android market and Apple App Retailer which have dominated the native app enterprise.

In response to the newest knowledge by the Korea Cellular Web Enterprise Affiliation, Android is estimated to have taken up 51.eight per cent of the app market in Korea value roughly four.5 trillion gained (US$four.06 billion) as of end-2014, adopted by Apple’s 31.three per cent. The mixed share of native app platform suppliers solely stood at 13 per cent.

The Korean cellular carriers hope the One Retailer will create new alternatives for native app builders, in addition to cellular shoppers, to take pleasure in numerous and certified content material based mostly on a extra handy and higher consumer expertise.

About 1.7 million smartphone customers are anticipated to go to the One Retailer each month, the cellular carriers stated. They didn’t give particulars on the variety of apps registered with the unified market.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What was the main reason for the South Korean cellular carriers to create the One Store?

A.

The cellular carriers aimed to bolster their presence in the app content sector. They felt the need to join forces against Google's Android market and Apple App Store, which dominate the local app business.

Q.

How does the One Store simplify the process for app developers?

A.

App developers can now upload their product only once to the One Store, rather than registering it individually on previous separate app shops. App creation standards have also been harmonised.

Q.

Which existing app stores have been consolidated to form the One Store?

A.

The One Store is a consolidated mobile version of KT’s Olleh Market, SK Planet’s T Store, and LG Uplus’s U+ Store. These had been run individually by each telecom company.

Q.

What market share did local app platform providers hold in Korea at the end of 2014?

A.

As of end-2014, the combined share of local app platform providers only stood at 13 per cent of the app market. This contrasts with Android's 51.8 per cent and Apple's 31.3 per cent.

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