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Verizon reportedly in talks with others to build global Android app store

Verizon logo (medium)

Update: Verizon tells Re/code it has no plans to create an app store, adding “Been there. Done that.”

According to a new report from The Information, Verizon is looking to launch its own global app store and in the process has held talks regarding building an “industry coalition” of sorts with other carriers to do so. The app store would of course be a direct competitor for Google’s own Play Store that currently controls the majority of app downloads made on Android devices.

After years of watching Google and Apple dominate the business of selling smartphone software to consumers, Verizon Communications is aiming to alter the playing field by building an industry coalition to launch a new, global online store for mobile applications… The store would be for devices powered by Google’s Android operating system, which are used by about a billion people around the world.

The report adds that the app store Verizon envisions could include “specific features of wireless-carrier networks” that would benefit developers. Today’s news comes following Verizon’s decision to shut down its previous effort at running an app store, which served only its own customers in the US.  

The full report on The Information (behind a paywall) has more details on Verizon’s plans for the Google Play competitor.

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Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s weekly Logic Pros series and makes music as one half of Toronto-based Makamachine.