Short message service and telephone are slowly being pushed off from the home screens of smartphone consumers who increasingly rely on mobile communications applications which use data services. Telkomsel, which has begun to feel the effects of this market trend on its revenue has initiated a number of ways to overcome this issue, one of which is by announcing Teman Dev which will be launched in June.
During the launch of Nokia 520 on Friday (3/5) at JS Luwansa Hotel in Jakarta, Telkomsel extended its hands to Nokia and a number of developers to create an ecosystem aimed at jumpstarting the creative industry for local developers by revealing Teman Dev (Telkomsel Application Developer).
What are the benefits? Telkomsel is offering a number of incentives for local developers who would like to have their products marketed more widely, especially in Indonesia. One of which is by offering detailed information about its subscribers, such as which ones use Nokia’s devices and what operating systems they use. Nokia will use this information to advertise particular mobile applications to its subscribers, for example Windows Phone apps for those using Windows Phone who might want to purchase those apps.
Telkomsel will also begin to implement carrier billing to make things easier for developers and consumers alike. In a country like Indonesia in which the use of credit cards is still relatively very low, this would allow for a more streamlined way to purchase mobile applications and reach a greater number of consumers. For the majority of Indonesian consumers, Carrier billing is far more practical than having to use credit cards.
According to Puja Pramudya of Radya Labs, one of the leading development companies for Windows Phone apps, the most awaited incentive is the SMS blast for developers who have reached level three or has an average rating of 4.25 for its apps. Developers can register to participate in the SMS program which will send app recommendations over SMS to consumers. “This is important”, said Pramudya. “For consumers, information on interesting apps can be delivered without having to find out for themselves”.
In Puja’s experience, “many asked where to find information on new or local apps, because they don’t read technology blogs and they rarely open the Windows Phone Store to find out about new apps. Through SMS blast, the hope is to help with new user acquisition”.
Aside from that, developers who are registered in this program will also receive incentives such as a Windows Phone token account, a Lumia test device, free data plan, and so on, according to the levels achieved in the program”. This incentive method “can provide more reasons for developers to be interested in the Windows Phone platform”, Pramudya said.
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