South African cellular operator, Vodacom is calling on all local application developers to join a programme aimed at supporting and nurturing home-grown talent in apps development.
Just over a month after flinging open the virtual doors of its first apps store, Vodacom has now unveiled a programme to support local mobile apps developers, and to ensure those of them that develop apps to help South Africans will get maximum access to consumers.
The Vodacom App Store, which was unveiled on 1 September, is the first multiple-platform mobile operator application store in Africa. The store features a catalogue of over 140 000 Appia-powered applications that are supported across all major platforms, including Android, BlackBerry, Java and Symbian. The store reached more than 100 000 downloads in its first month, the company says.
This immediate success of the app store has inspired the cellular operator to launch the Vodacom Developer Programme (VDP), to partner and collaborate with the local developer community, providing them with technical and commercial support, such as training, workshops and innovation incentives.
The VDP will be introduced on 7 October, at the Protea Fire and Ice Hotel, in Melrose Arch, in Johannesburg, from 6pm to 9pm; and in Cape Town, on 10 October, at Vodacom's main auditorium, in Century City, from 6pm to 9pm. Entry is free. Those who attend will have the opportunity to mingle with the most renowned industry specialists in the mobile apps marketplace; discuss tools to monetise apps; identify training opportunities in the mobile apps environment; and gain insight into Vodacom's innovation incentives and available technical and commercial support.
“We see the App Store as the embryo of an ecosystem. We're looking forward to building a network of successful local developers, so they can help develop apps that help South Africans,” says Prins Mhlanga, managing executive of Digital Media at Vodacom. “With our apps initiative, we hope to complement and enhance this already vibrant community.”
The fact that the Vodacom App Store is not restricted to just one mobile platform means more opportunities for developers. Says Mhlanga: “The opportunities for further development in the Vodacom App Store are significant, considering it also supports all major platforms, including Android, BlackBerry, Java, Symbian and Windows Mobile.”
Those who are interested are invited to register for the VDP at no cost here.
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