Infosys is seen expanding its telecom tie-ups for its flagship app platform – ‘Flypp’. It earlier tied-up exclusively with Aircel to implement app platform on Telco’s behalf and is now seen attracting new domestic telecom operators for the same. BS reports that Infosys even plans to take its app platform to international shores within few months.
Infy’s ready-to-go app platform – ‘Flypp’ allows telecom operators to implement their own app stores within few weeks. Flypp aims to provide localization feature to give distinct edge along with providing third party developer apps to be used for teleco’s app store. Flypp faces no hurdles in procuring content as app developers are always looking for additional platforms to sell their apps on.
Infosys is looking at greater domestic partnerships so as to benefit from large upsurge witnessed in telecom subscribers in past half decade. It has initiated talks with few Indian Telcos and will eagerly explore such tie-ups after its exclusive agreement with Aircel ends in April this year. Infosys clearly wants to boost its domestic IT revenues which constitutes hardly 1-2 % of its total turnover and thus lower its dependency on US and European markets. Infy long time ago seeded OnMobile Global – A major mobile VAS Success from India.
Operator driven app stores can see large success in India due to lack of micro-payment gateways and E-commerce transactions. Firewall gardens like Blackberry’s app store availability for only data plan users can also increase the viability of such app stores to succeed. Telecom Operator based app stores also provides integrated billing payment method thus providing easy method for telecom subscribers to pay for their paid apps.
It makes sense for Telecom operators to open up their own app stores as today social applications and other VAS services serves as deciding factor for closing on operator choices. The surge in app usages allows telcos to attract new customers through its app stores which in turn act as a demand-booster for its data and higher plans. The diminishing cost of operating such app stores through platforms like ‘Flypp’ is also a win-win situation for telcos.
