Orange Inks Widgets Deal For Mobile, With Tablets To Come Next?
More apps for the non-smartphone set: mobile operator Orange has announced a deal with Netvibes, the France-based widget developer, to roll out its library of 200,000 widgets covering brands like Facebook, Twitter and BBC, to most of its portfolio of signature feature phones. These pared-down “apps” are all free to download, but Orange says that in future they will also include paid widgets, and those with in-widget charging options.
Orange, which this week also had its merger approved with T-Mobile in the UK, also said that it is already working with Netvibes on services for other screens: these include the operators’ IPTV service as well as future services for tablets — Orange has been among the operators rumored to be in talks with Apple over supplying the iPad in European markets. “We
Makes sense to roll out pared-down apps to feature phones if the aim is to boost data usage amongst that user group – although since presumably most feature-phone users will not be on data bundles, Orange will need to make data pricing crystal clear to would-be users (stressing daily pricing caps etc). I rather like Microsoft’s solution for facilitating feature phone access to apps in developing markets – OneApp is essentially a thin client that enables a raft of other cloud-based apps (inc Facebook) and means that feature phones are capable of running far more sophisticated and data-heavy apps than would otherwise be the case. One other observation – if the rollout of these apps is successful, and generates substantial data – will we shortly see Orange complaining that its network capacity is in danger a la AT&T and O2?
Windsor Holden
Principal Analyst
Juniper Research
“Orange Inks Widget Deal” – can we drop the Americanisms (inks? what does this mean, exactly) and also the American-style initial caps on every word. Thanks.