Vietnam’s Viettel teams up with Opera to launch “all you can eat” app store
Vietnam’s Viettel teams up with Opera to launch “all you can eat” app store
Vietnamese military-run mobile carrier Viettel has partnered with Opera to launch an app store that offers the country’s lowest weekly app subscription plan, the company behind the web browser said Thursday.
Viettel’s mobile data subscribers can now download as many premium apps and games as they want for a small weekly subscription fee of VND10,000 (US$0.45) from the AppMarket, according to Opera Software.
The platform is an “all-you-can-eat” app storefront for Android, Java, BlackBerry and Symbian users, and the subscription plan is cheapest in Vietnam.
“AppMarket subscribers will be able to download thousands of paid apps and games - as many as they want - for one low price,” Opera Software said in a press release.
AppMarket, powered by the Opera Mobile Store, offers best selection of popular titles from more than 300,000 apps and games, including popular paid game titles such as Critical Missions: SWAT, Dirt Bike Apocalypse, Cut the Rope and Vampireville: Hidden Object.
According to Opera, Viettel’s AppMarket makes it possible for its subscribers to purchase paid apps and games without using a credit card.
The customer simply sends “DK AM” to 5050 via SMS or by confirming his or her online subscription at viettelappsclub.opera.com/store. The subscription plan will be renewed automatically every week. Subscribers can cancel their subscriptions at any time before the new subscription period starts.
“Mobile internet users in Vietnam have shown a strong interest in mobile stores, games and social-media content, with nearly eight to ten ad impressions through Opera Mediaworks are served to these three categories,” said Viet Anh Nguyen, country manager for Vietnam at Opera.
“With more people migrating to smartphones, AppMarket will cater to their needs for premium apps and games."
Pham Thanh Phuong, vice director of CSP Center at Viettel, Vietnam’s biggest mobile carrier with 50 million subscribers, also said AppMarket is the most affordable and convenient way to purchase paid apps and games for mobile internet users in the Southeast Asian country.
“Our customers will be able to download their favorites, without breaking the bank. This subscription model saves consumers a lot of money and effort compared to buying apps one by one."
Opera Software said the subscription model will also help strengthen Vietnam’s mobile-app development ecosystem, as it provides increased marketing and monetization opportunities for both Vietnamese app developers and operators.
Powered by the Opera Mobile Store, the third-largest mobile app store in the world, AppMarket has already attracted 174 Vietnamese app and game developers. The store helps them extend their reach to more users and generate revenue.
Opera takes care of the app store’s operations and administration on Viettel’s behalf, constantly rotating and refreshing the apps in the store, with a steady stream of new apps being created and added every week by thousands of app developers.
