Open Software Becomes a Part of the Wholesale Applications Community

By Deepika Mala, TMCnet Contributor

Opera Software has become the first browser vendor to join the Wholesale Applications Community, an alliance of the world’s premier mobile operators such as China Mobile (News - Alert), Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and others working together to define, create and deploy a common mobile application platform.

Working as a member of WAC (News - Alert), Opera will lend its expertise in making application platforms that harness the power of the Web. It will also bring significant experience to the alliance. The company, in 2006, first turned its web browser into an application platform with the launch of Opera Widgets. After successful deployments on smartphones, mobile applications reached the masses with the commercial availability of Opera Mini Widgets. Today, almost any phone is capable of running mobile applications written entirely in open web standards.

“WAC is being built around open Web standards, so it is valuable to have a Web browser company involved,” said Peters Suh (News - Alert), CEO, Wholesale Applications Community, in a press release. “Opera has a proven track record in supporting Web standards. Most importantly, they have already delivered standards-compliant widget and Web application repositories to major mobile operators. Their expertise is extremely helpful as we prepare to launch the Wholesale Applications Community.”

“For years, we have said that the Web is the most important application platform there is,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software (News - Alert), in a statement. “Now we have the opportunity to collaborate with global operators to make the Web the common platform for mobile applications. This will ensure mobile applications will be available for almost everyone with a mobile phone, not limited to those with smartphones or a particular OS.”

The initial WAC 1.0 standard is already supported by Opera products. The new standard is based on an original Joint Innovation Lab 1.2.2 standard for mobile phone applications, which Opera previously supported.

“WAC is an important industry initiative towards making a mobile application platform that is web based, rather than locked-down, proprietary application models,” said Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software, in a press release. “WAC allows developers to build successful and spellbinding mobile applications designed for an open, interoperable future.”

In related news, Chinese handset maker TCL Communication Technology Holdings has selected Opera Software's Opera Mini for multiple platforms, including preinstalled Mini on TCL's mobile products.

(source: http://fixed-mobile-convergence.tmcnet.com/topics/mobile-communications/articles/109757-open-software-becomes-part-the-wholesale-applications-community.htm)