Qualcomm launches incubator to foster mobile apps and services

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) is getting into the applications development business. The company today announced it has formed a subsidiary called the Qualcomm Services Lab, with the intention of fostering services and applications. The lab, which is headed by Isaac Babbs, general manager of Qualcomm Services Lab and formerly the CEO of Tapatap, was created to form new businesses that will also strategically build the company's chip business.

Babbs said that the Lab is currently working on eight projects and four are making their debut today. The remaining four will be live later this year and in early 2011. "We are a microcosm in Qualcomm around innovation," Babbs said in an interview with FierceMobileContent.  "We are trying to create businesses around focus areas that we think are going to be big. And we are trying to bring a Qualcomm uniqueness to it."  Those focus areas include communication, information/entertainment, discovery, life automation and digital-to-physical (providing access to relevant digital information).

The four applications and services launched today are:

• Neer, a geo-fence based location sharing services geared to women between ages 25 and 50. Neer lets you share your location privately with close friends and family. The app is available on Android Market and will soon be available through BREW MP and Apple's App Store.
• Qilroy, a social messaging service that enables location-based conversations to take play anywhere in the world. This service lets people find others around them to chat, post questions or share thoughts with. The app is available on Apple's App Store and will soon be available at BREW MP and Android Market.
• Tapioca is an intelligent URL shortening service that lets you share multimedia content across different devices. Qualcomm acquired Tapioca in July.
• Vive is a free, friend-based social recommendation services that allows users to share recommendations, rating, purchases and other activities. This service is available on Facebook and will soon be available through BREW MP and Apple's App Store.

For more:
- see this press release
- see this video

Related articles:
Qualcomm acquires URL-linking startup Tapioca Mobile
Qualcomm teams with SINA for Brew MP app store in China
Qualcomm to preload Opera browser on Brew MP devices
Qualcomm streamlines Brew MP app development
Sprint launching Qualcomm's Brew MP OS