China Unicom launches WoStore app marketplace

China Unicom--China's third largest mobile operator, with roughly 83 million subscribers--unveiled WoStore, a mobile application storefront developed in conjunction with communications equipment and network solutions provider ZTE. Promising support for "all open smartphone platforms" (read: not Apple's [NASDAQ:AAPL] iPhone 4, which China Unicom began offering in September) as well as connected devices like tablets, the WoStore--named after China Unicom's Wo brand of mobile services, translating to "fertile" or "rich"--offers about 2,200 applications at launch. In addition to competitive pressures from Apple's App Store, the WoStore also must challenge rival operator China Mobile's Mobile Market as well as efforts like Motorola's Shop4Apps.

Despite the enormous size of the Chinese mobile subscriber market, The Wall Street Journal notes the nation's mobile software segment continues to evolve behind other international markets, due largely to government censorship requirements and other regulations. "You're going to have more, heavier oversight by the operators here," explains Maverick China Research analyst Dave Carini. "Since the application market is not as open, it's going to develop more slowly."

For more:
- read this Wall Street Journal article

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