AT&T to release Android, WebOS devices & new app platform

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the U.S., revealed on Wednesday plans to launch its first five Android-based handsets in the first half of 2010, two WebOS devices, and a new mobile application platform for non-smartphones.



The devices include a Motorola smartphone powered by MOTOBLUR, its social networking software; Dell's first smartphone, the Mini 3 -- an AT&T exclusive; and a new HTC handset also exclusive to AT&T. The company also said that two Palm WebOS-based devices would be offered "soon."



AT&T also revealed its "Apps to All" initiative, which aims to bring mobile applications beyond smartphones and to more basic mobile phones for all consumers. A new software development kit will be issued to encourage this.



Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said currently only iPhone users can take advantage of the platform's more than 100,000 apps. His company would like to see those options expand to other platforms as well.



"Our goal is to bring more apps to millions more of our customers who want convenient access to the market's hottest apps," de la Vega said. "At the same time, in the future, we plan to go well beyond mobile devices to spur apps development."



To reach that goal, AT&T has reached an agreement with chip maker Qualcomm to standardize app development for mid-range Quick Messaging Devices using the BREW Mobile Platform. AT&T said the devices are used by millions of customers who typically do not have access to the variety of software seen on smartphones. An estimated 30 percent of AT&T's postpaid customers who are new or upgrading are using a Quick Messaging Device.



The AT&T App Center will adopt a similar business model to Apple's App Store, with a 70-30 revenue split favoring developers.



The BREW mobile platform will begin appearing on the company's Quick Messaging Devices in the second half of the year. AT&T hopes that 90 percent of its devices in that segment will be based on BREW by 2011.



"Today, developers must essentially rebuild apps for different handsets and operating systems, increasing their costs, slowing the pace of innovation and stalling the delivery of mobile apps to customers," said David Christopher, AT&T chief marketing officer. "We want to tear down the barriers and make it much easier for developers to reach our customers -- and for our customers to access apps."



The company also announced a new "Virtual Innovation Lab" and two "Innovation Centers," which it said will help developers and spur development of new applications.



In addition, AT&T has stated a goal to offer all major smartphone OS app stores, in addition to the Android Market and iPhone App Store. Existing agreements are already in place with Nokia's Ovi store and Microsoft's Windows Marketplace. Carrier billing for mobile application stores will also be integrated.



The moves could be a sign of how AT&T intends to offset the inevitable loss of iPhone exclusivity. It is widely believed that the wireless carrier's contract with Apple expires this year. AT&T executives have, on numerous occasions, said that their contract with Apple to have exclusive access to the iPhone in the U.S. will not last forever.



With more than 3 billion downloads to date in the iPhone App Store., numerous companies have looked to replicate Apple's success. In addition to the Android Marketplace and other similar mobile phone-based stores, Intel plans to create a store for Atom-based netbooks, and TV manufacturers are interested in allowing cross-platform applications on a variety of different sets. AT&T competitor Verizon, the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., also plans to have its own application store.



Most notably missing from AT&T's announcement Wednesday was Google's just-announced, Android-powered Nexus One. While the device can be bought unlocked and run on the AT&T network, it is not compatible with the company's high-speed 3G wireless frequency. On Tuesday, Google revealed that the handset, currently available for T-Mobile, would come to Verizon in the U.S. this spring.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 95
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post




    Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said currently only iPhone users can take advantage of the platform's more than 100,000 apps. His company would like to see those options expand to other platforms as well.





    Sounds like they lost their iPhone exclusivity bid.
  • Reply 2 of 95
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Or that they're trying to make money and really don't care who the handset vendor is.
  • Reply 3 of 95
    al_bundyal_bundy Posts: 1,525member
    this is exactly what everyone wanted. a carrier is a dumb pipe and you can use any device on it
  • Reply 4 of 95
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The company also said that two Palm WebOS-based devices would be offered "soon."



    Ah ha! Could that be the sound of [GSM versions of] Pre and Pixi coming to AT&T? Sounds great! Palm Pre has an elegant method of implementing multi-tasking into the user interface. I do still prefer my iPhone as multi-tasking is not important to me personally. But I do regard Palm as worthy competition (if only they would develop their own sync software!) Nice to see more Android phones too.
  • Reply 5 of 95
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by al_bundy View Post


    this is exactly what everyone wanted. a carrier is a dumb pipe and you can use any device on it



    Except I don't think that is what he is saying. They want even more control by creating their own App Store. Mobile is going to be the big revenue stream for the foreseeable future and the carriers are seeing dollar signs. Selling ringtones is so last decade now they want to sell applications.
  • Reply 6 of 95
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Sounds like they lost their iPhone exclusivity bid.



    It sure does. If AT&T is announcing this now, Apple will probably announce iPhone availability on other carriers in their Jan 27 event. This could have a bigger near term effect than a tablet computer.
  • Reply 7 of 95
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    It sure does. If AT&T is announcing this now, Apple will probably announce iPhone availability on other carriers in their Jan 27 event. This could have a bigger near term effect than a tablet computer.



    Except Apple would still be dumb to make a CDMA phone and the likelihood of even a dual one next time is still very slim.
  • Reply 8 of 95
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the U.S., revealed on Wednesday plans to launch its first five Android-based handsets in the first half of 2010, two WebOS devices, and a new mobile application platform for non-smartphones.



    The devices include a Motorola smartphone powered by MOTOBLUR, its social networking software; Dell's first smartphone, the Mini 3 -- an AT&T exclusive; and a new HTC handset also exclusive to AT&T. The company also said that two Palm WebOS-based devices would be offered "soon."



    AT&T also revealed its "Apps to All" initiative, which aims to bring mobile applications beyond smartphones and to more basic mobile phones for all consumers. A new software development kit will be issued to encourage this.



    Does this mean five times more the low signals, dropped calls, app freezes, slow app responses, call quality that iPhone users "enjoy" now...
  • Reply 9 of 95
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Sounds like they lost their iPhone exclusivity bid.



    Oh, that is awesome. Ready or not, here goes AAPL to $300.
  • Reply 10 of 95
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Oh, that is awesome. Ready or not, here goes AAPL to $300.



    As Quagmire from "The Family Guy" would say...



    "I'm Ready!, I'm Ready!, I'm Ready!", Giggidy, Giggidy!!
  • Reply 11 of 95
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    Quote:

    Today, developers must essentially rebuild apps for different handsets and operating systems, increasing their costs, slowing the pace of innovation and stalling the delivery of mobile apps to customers



    Hmm... I take issue with that comment.



    It is directly because of competing platforms that innovation moves forward. If every one ran the same OS and development environment, there never would be anything innovative going on.



    The iPhone happened because Apple was able to design and develop their own platform, pushing the market forward. Palm's webOS, while nearly not as popular as iPhone OS, did the same thing.



    Innovation slows when the entire market is busy trying to be good-enough-me-too products that don't offer anything new to users.
  • Reply 12 of 95
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    It sure does. If AT&T is announcing this now, Apple will probably announce iPhone availability on other carriers in their Jan 27 event. This could have a bigger near term effect than a tablet computer.



    That would be a good time to do it, especially with other vendors getting closer to the iPhone so waiting for a full year to pass before giving us the iPhone OS demo, new SDK and then the new HW may not be viable strategy anymore.
  • Reply 13 of 95
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    Except Apple would still be dumb to make a CDMA phone and the likelihood of even a dual one next time is still very slim.



    Apple rarely takes two steps forward and one step back, and I agree, making a CDMA phone for US market would be just that, but maybe they'll make an LTE phone that works well in a few cities and if you want it, you may have to carry a cheap second phone around in case of emergencies.



    You know some people will put up with a lot of inconvenience to have the latest and greatest product from Apple. Like myself, I kept my original VZ phone but just reduced my plan for a year after getting the iPhone. I eventually canceled my Verizon account. Although I admit AT&T's signal was horrible with the original 2007 iPhone release, it has really improved as of late.
  • Reply 14 of 95
    mjtomlinmjtomlin Posts: 2,673member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    Except Apple would still be dumb to make a CDMA phone and the likelihood of even a dual one next time is still very slim.



    I agree. Apple would only add support for CDMA, if it could also be used on 3G networks as well. I doubt Apple would want to make two versions of the phone for the same market. It would only happen if the same phone could support both networks without adding too much cost. I also believe the only way you're ever going to get one of these iPhone's on Verizon's network, is to buy an unsubsidized phone. Apple is not going to give up any amount of control to Verizon, just for a subsidy.



    We will definitely see iPhone on T-Mobile though.
  • Reply 15 of 95
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    Except Apple would still be dumb to make a CDMA phone and the likelihood of even a dual one next time is still very slim.



    In order to make that statement, a person would have to know (at least):

    1. How many Verizon and Sprint subscribers will buy a CDMA iPhone.

    2. How long CDMA networks will be available to those subscribers.

    3. How much additional cost there is in manufacturing a CDMA iPhone.

    4. What margin will Apple receive on CDMA iPhones.

    5. What margin is Apple modeling for all iPhones.

    6. What is the value of exposing millions of new customers to Apple products.

    7. How long will people keep their first CDMA iPhone, vis a vis the availability of

    feasible multi-radio chips and the rollout of LTE networks.



    Once a person knows all those things, they would have to make a complex calculation to determine if it is a good business idea. If you know all these things and have done the calculation and determined it is dumb, then you are correct.
  • Reply 16 of 95
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    In order to make that statement, a person would have to know (at least):

    1. How many Verizon and Sprint subscribers will buy a CDMA iPhone.

    2. How long CDMA networks will be available to those subscribers.

    3. How much additional cost there is in manufacturing a CDMA iPhone.

    4. What margin will Apple receive on CDMA iPhones.

    5. What margin is Apple modeling for all iPhones.

    6. What is the value of exposing millions of new customers to Apple products.

    7. How long will people keep their first CDMA iPhone, vis a vis the availability of

    feasible multi-radio chips and the rollout of LTE networks.



    Once a person knows all those things, they would have to make a complex calculation to determine if it is a good business idea. If you know all these things and have done the calculation and determined it is dumb, then you are correct.



    Why go through all that analysis? Just ask Steve if he wants to do it!
  • Reply 17 of 95
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    Why go through all that analysis? Just ask Steve if he wants to do it!



    You are correct. That is all that probably matters.
  • Reply 18 of 95
    morkymorky Posts: 200member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


    Except Apple would still be dumb to make a CDMA phone and the likelihood of even a dual one next time is still very slim.



    They would be dumb to increase revenue by many billions of dollars? Please explain.
  • Reply 19 of 95
    bartfatbartfat Posts: 434member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    You are correct. That is all that probably matters.



    Not quite. He still needs to make a deal with Verizon, who would presumably want to restrict the iPhone experience to almost the bare minimum, so that it would be able to force its own app store down the throats of consumers tied to that carrier rather than the App Store. At least with Apple, you can change carriers and still keep your apps. What would happen with the Verizon iPhone? Apps that only are valid on whatever carrier you bought them on? Because as I see it, that's practically what Verizon would want. That and not giving Apple any of their profits.
  • Reply 20 of 95
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bartfat View Post


    Not quite. He still needs to make a deal with Verizon, who would presumably want to restrict the iPhone experience to almost the bare minimum, so that it would be able to force its own app store down the throats of consumers tied to that carrier rather than the App Store. At least with Apple, you can change carriers and still keep your apps. What would happen with the Verizon iPhone? Apps that only are valid on whatever carrier you bought them on? Because as I see it, that's practically what Verizon would want. That and not giving Apple any of their profits.



    I hear you and I thought of that too. We should note that several people have stated that Verizon has loosened up considerably and is not restricting other phones as much as they used to do (e.g. Droid). Also, I think having a carrier restrict the iPhone now is not nearly as much an issue as it would have been when the iPhone was first released. Back in 2007, all the capabilities of the iPhone were not known, so if AT&T had restricted it too much, people would never have seen all the possibilities. If Verizon, for example, were to restrict an iPhone on its network now, it would be a well-publicized competitive disadvantage to competing carriers who did not restrict it. You are correct in noting the app store issue. I have a feeling this is still an obstacle to any agreement between Apple and Verizon.
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