Chinese Networks Should Cooperate on Mobile Applications

Published on: 1st Jan 1970: 1:33am

China's mobile operators should not only compete but also cooperate in deploying 3G services, because they face challenges from overseas giants, including Apple and Google, industry officials said at a forum in Beijing.

The combination of online stores and devices, such as Apple's iPhone and App Store as well as Google's Android system and applications market, have started to challenge the dominant positions of domestic mobile carriers and data business in the mobile internet market, said Yu Chuan, vice director of terminal department of China Mobile's Research Institute.

"Apple and Google are so successful in the mobile Internet sector through their online stores. As they continue developing their stores, (domestic) carriers will be playing the role of network provider only," Yu said at the 3G Innovation Forum. "We should not only encourage competition among carriers but should also be aware of threats from players outside the telecommunications industry," Yu added.

China Mobile and China Unicom have already set up their own Apps Stores, Mobile Market and WoStore, but they are currently hampered by the limited number of applications to download, leading to opportunities for the Apple and Google Apps Stores to build market share.

On the web: EastDay

 

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