wireless, Mobile Applications, innovation

Qualcomm Launches Mobile Retail App Store

Bruce V. Bigelow 5/18/09

Taking a cue from the success of Apple’s App Store, San Diego wireless giant Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) said today it is opening its own suite of mobile software solutions and expanding its online retail site for mobile subscribers.

Qualcomm says its Plaza Retail, rather than targeting a single platform, gives online publishers and developers the ability to provide mobile applications and content for a variety of platforms. Beyond Qualcomm’s Brew, which maintained strict control of its applications, Retail Plaza will support apps written for Java, Flash, and BlackBerry operating systems. Retail Plaza also plans to support Android, Windows Mobile, Palm’s webOS, Symbian, and LiMo Linux.

Qualcomm says its approach offers a wider range of distribution channels and new opportunities for its Brew community as well as new customers.

In a statement, Arvin Chander, vice president and general manager of Plaza Retail says, “Success in this market will be dictated by delivering mobile retail experiences across multiple platforms and networks, backed by a healthy ecosystem of publishers with an automated, transparent supply chain.”

Bruce V. Bigelow is the editor of Xconomy San Diego. You can e-mail him at bbigelow@xconomy.com or call 858-202-0492