Integrated app store hits 100 mln. downloads
Models promote the integrated mobile application market One Store in this file photo. SK Planet, LG Uplus and KT said One Store recorded 100 million mobile app and game downloads in two months. / Courtesy of SK Planet
By Yoon Sung-won
Korean telecom companies have jointly posted 100 million downloads at their integrated mobile application store in two months, resolving doubts over its market success.
According to SK Planet, KT and LG Uplus, Sunday, more than 152 million application and mobile game downloads have been recorded at “One Store” since its launch, June 3, with more that 11.1 million users purchasing from it.
Compared with total downloads by the three separate application markets between March and April, the number of downloads at the integrated app store between June and July increased 60 percent.
In July, One Store recorded 97 million downloads, 5.4 million paid users and 3.53 billion won in daily sales, the companies said.
The integrated app store was launched amid concerns that it may have little impact due to the domination by Google Play’s application market.
“The One Store application market, which was jointly opened by the three companies, has created synergy effects by providing convenience and benefits for both customers and application developers,” SK Planet Digital Contents Business Department Managing Director Lee Jae-hwan said.
“The three companies will continue to work closely to provide better customer services and to promote growth of the domestic applications market.”
One Store integrates KT’s Olleh Market, LG Uplus’ U+Store and SK Telecom’s T Store, which was operated by its affiliate, SK Planet.
With the integrated application store, which runs only on Google’s Android operating system, users can download the same applications and mobile games regardless of their mobile carrier. Developers can provide their applications for all three telecom company users without the need to develop separate builds.
The companies have used aggressive marketing to attract large mobile game developers. Consequently, the number of newly launched mobile games at One Store has increased 47 percent compared with before integration, the companies said.
“We will enhance the integrity of the One Store project to provide better usability for users and more promotions and benefits, such as market solutions for our affiliated developers,” an SK Planet official said.