AT&T Makes Renewed Commitment to Apps for Other Platforms
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Comments 16
Jan 6, 2010, 1:31 PM by Eric M. Zeman
Today in Las Vegas, AT&T announced new initiatives to bring more applications to all its customers and not just those using iPhones. The two most significant expansions include carrier billing support for both Google's Android Market and Nokia's Ovi Store. These alone will open up a better experience for customers looking to download applications that require payment. AT&T also announced an agreement with Qualcomm to standardize apps development for mid-range Quick Messaging Devices using BREW Mobile Platform. These devices are used by millions of customers who historically have not had the same access as smartphone customers to the market’s hottest apps.
japhyJan 6, 2010, 1:53 PM
Carrier Billing? No thanks
The idea of being more committed to the carrier (as opposed to the software platform) is really backwards. The carriers have little to nothing to offer from a software standpoint, and the UI on the phones & the interfacing with a computer are all handled by other developers, so why should I deal with AT&T (or whoever) any more than I have to when it comes to managing the mobile computer that I happen to use on their network?
This might be a convenience for some, but I'd rather separate my software purchases, and I suspect a plurality of users will feel similarly about their smartphones.
Do you know what carrier billing actually is? It means that rather than paying for an app from the Android Market with your credit card you would be able to add the cost of the app to your cell phone bill.
I don't see how that translates into yo...
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BREW?
Does this mean they are dumping the industry standard JAVA for the proprietary BREW? Hmmmm.
I thought BREW us mostly for Verizon phones??? That stupid proprietary softward so that all phones have the same menues.
As mentioned, BREW is a Qualcomm proprietary platform, and there's no reason for anyone who doesn't already have a commitment to Qualcomm to go with that. AT&T's phone offerings are easily the most diverse, so it'd be a foolish move to try to unify t...
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at&t only has one phone
It should focus on the only phone that matters.
The better phone (RIM) will do what they have always done, and take care of themselves.