Smart pipe
Giant mobile phone operator Vodafone has announced the launch of a new sub-channel within the Android Market that offers Vodafone apps and services, as well as unique apps developed in partnership with Vodafone, exclusively for Vodafone customers.
Anyone using an Android phone with a Vodafone SIM-card from today will see a Vodafone-branded tab on the Android Market, which leads to a special selection of apps and services. While some of this content can be accessed by anyone by simply doing a search for Vodafone, some of what's on offer is unique.
This initiative is part of the ongoing attempt by all mobile phone operators to try to ensure they're more than just ‘dumb pipes'. The danger for operators is if their role is merely to provide bandwidth and infrastructure, they will lose out on much of the money to be made from value-added services and mobile commerce, as well as the customer loyalty that comes with a multi-faceted commercial relationship.
This Android channel gives Vodafone the opportunity to differentiate itself from other operators. It's also consistent with some of the general thinking on how the operators can prevent themselves from becoming marginalised in the relationship with the end-user by the big platform owners.
"Together with Google, Vodafone has made it really simple for customers to get to the essential apps they can trust," said Lee Epting, Vodafone's content services director. "More than 75 million Vodafone customers around the world are regularly using the mobile internet, and we are committed to giving them the best possible experience. This focus on quality over quantity helps deliver on that commitment."
The Vodafone channel is now live in the UK, Germany, Italy, Holland and Spain, and will soon launch in Ireland, Portugal and Greece.
