Mobile Operators Prodded to Create Unified App Store By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff ReporterThere is no love lost among Korea’s three mobile telephony carriers ― SK Telecom, KT and LG Telecom ― as they continue to claw and punch their way into messy market battles.
So when these bitterest of enemies say they will play together to create a massive, open marketplace for mobile applications, one they claim will be seamless and resourceful for consumers like Apple’s App Store, it’s hard to suppress skepticism.
This very well could happen, but I certainly don’t see it as a competitor to Apple’s App Store. These guys might agree to standardize, but they are not going to release control easily. They will not want to allow people outside of their walled gardens. This is still the business model of the carriers and they will hold on to it like the music companies held on to CDs.
I’d say you’re right, but I also see them being even more restrictive than mother Apple in what they allow in the store. However, I think that this can work in the Korea market in the short term.As the phone becomes more of a mobile computer (in terms of use, not capabilities, as it already is), this will fall to the wayside. Users will require access to the vast array of services available. At the same time, I don’t doubt that telecoms can provide value-added services only available to their users, which will differentiate them and keep them from becoming a “dumb pipe”.