For Optus business customers who don’t already enjoy apps through their smartphone of choice’s app store, the Telco has today launched an app store of their own.
All the apps are business focussed, from security, expense trackers and budgeting software to travel and productivity applications. You can access the app store either through Optus’ web portal or through their MyZoo portal on your handset.
The phone’s serviced by the new store tend to lean on the dumbphone side of things, but there’s support for Blackberry, Android (HTC Dream, in particular) and N series Nokias as well.
Pricing is as varied as the apps available. There are reportedly hundreds of apps available at launch.
The biggest question is whether or not businesses will actually use this service. Considering that apps are most suited to smartphones, and all the smartphone platforms have their own app stores, why would they need to use this one from Optus?
MDolley
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 4:35 PMSo Optus block paid applications in the Android Market and then bring out this? They aren’t even trying to cover up the conspiracy.
James
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:16 PM“Considering that apps are most suited to smartphones, and all the smartphone platforms have their own app stores, why would they need to use this one from Optus?”
Because, at least for the HTC Dream, Optus blocks you from fully using the native app store.
delixe
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 6:49 PMOptus will release 2 motorola android phones, the DEXT and Backflip, in march, so this aps store, I guess is aim at the android phones.
David Anderton
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 9:55 PMThis must have been why optus has been blocking Android apps
Richard
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 10:24 PMSurely after optus has blocked payed content from its customers on the android marketplace, that this venture is somehow in violation of the Trade Practices Act
Ash
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 9:41 AMThis is deffinatly a rort.
It IS the google app store rebadged….
If you have a rooted phone you can just download “Market Enabler” free from the Google Apps store and it spoofs the carrier you’re using so you can download what ever apps you want and not have to pay optus for the right.
I pretty much gave up on Optus supporting the HTC G1 after they took soooo long to bring out 1.5.
Rodney
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 9:50 AMAlternatively, for anyone else with an Optus Android Phone that isn’t rooted, borrow a friends SIM, whack it in your phone, connect to a WiFi network (unless your friend is cool with you using their data) and download all the paid apps you want from the Android Market…
I can’t see this Optus service lasting very long…
scott
Monday, February 22, 2010 at 2:40 PMor you can buy the $2 voda prepaid sim from Safeway/woolworths and use wifi to DL all the paid apps you want.
How can Optus think this is a good way to treat customers? Imagine if they did it to iphone users….
I will be boycotting Optarse because of this and will encourage everyone i speak to to do the same.
Dennis
Monday, March 1, 2010 at 9:34 PMOptus should stop blocking access to the Android Market, surely its not even legal?