iPhone Localizer eBook series – 1. China App platforms – 1.2 How to make money on ‘Mobile Market’ (China Mobile)

Written by iPhone Localizer; Edited by iPhonAsia.

Mobile Market (MM) is a platform for mobile apps and mobile digital products,
serving more than 500 million mobile phone users. MM is the first app
platform run by a mobile carrier.

MM has three categories for mobile consumers:
1.             Software (191 apps*)
2.             Games (438 apps/games*),
3.             Themes (1054 apps*)

* MM content as of Oct. 12, 2009

Before downloading an app, the consumer must select their mobile phone model
type. MM currently supports 9 model categories: OPhone (appx. 10 phones
planned by end of 2010 supporting China Mobile’s Android-based OS dubbed
“OPhone”), Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Lenovo, Dopod, and
Dell.

For developers, MM provides the China Mobile Developer Network (CMDA),
which has all you need from downloading SDKs to uploading apps. CMDA
includes SDKs download and instructions for Ophone, JIL Widget, Symbian,
Windows Mobile, Java ME, WindowsCE, M8, and LARENA.

The steps for Chinese developers uploading apps are:
1. Registering to this developer network. Individuals and enterprises are
both welcome.
2. Publishing mobile software, games, and themes.
3. Professional testing and certification, provided by professional testing
labs.
4. Cooperation agreement signing, for mutual interests of partners.
5. Starting selling to 500 million customers through multi-channel exposure.
6. Getting monthly payment, developers receive 70% of sales revenues.

Key points:
§         Chinese developers have two ways to cooperate with MM:
Option 1: An individual developer can sign a cooperate agreement with a China
Mobile entrusted third party – Aspire Technologies (Shenzhen) Ltd. – and
then upload and sell his/her apps.
Option 2: An independent business entity can sign a cooperation agreement
with China Mobile to become one of the third-party application providers to
upload and sell apps on MM. (The agreement for option 2 is not out yet as
China Mobile is primarily supporting individual developers.)

§         Foreign developers (individuals or companies) have three ways to
sell apps on MM:
Option 1: Go through a Chinese individual who can sign agreement with Aspire
and handle uploading process.
Option 2: Entrust a third-party company in China as their application provider
to cooperate with Mobile Market.
Option 3: Go through a service provider outside of China like
iPhone Localizer who has China counterpart to do all these. In other words,
you cannot directly upload your apps onto MM for sale to the public.
Rather you will need to go through a Chinese person/company, or an entity
with China connections.

§         It should be noted that MM is still in a “free trial” phase. By
the end of 2009, developers will be able to set prices and receive payments
for their apps.

§         From the date of upload, it takes about 2 weeks to 1 month for
an app to go on sale. There are two steps: first is the testing period,
which takes 4 to 7 business days; second is the approval period. For example,
if you enter the approval period before 5th of the month, the app will go
on sale on or about 16th; if you enter the approval period between 5th and
20th, then the app will go on sale on or about the 1st of the following month.
The approval process will involve a vetting and certification of two things:
one is the cooperation paperwork (ID, bank account, agreement, etc.);
the other, of course, is the review and approval of the app itself.

§         Developers can set (request) their own app price within price
ranges set by China Mobile. China Mobile will confirm the price.

§         The monthly payment to developers will be made approximately 60
days following an app sale. (e.g. sales in September will be paid in the
November billing circle; sales in October will be paid in the December
billing circle).

§         Chinese developers will need to pay income taxes in China after
receiving payments.
About iPhone Localizer: iPhone Localizer ports your iPhone apps onto

OPhone apps; iPhone Localizer will also serve as your one-stop-shop to

upload your apps to China Mobile’s Mobile Market for mass downloads.

Contact info@iPhoneLocalizer.com for more details.