Wmode Acquires App Developer Widality
Calgary, Canada (ots/PRNewswire)
Wmode(R), a leading managed-services provider of mobile Internet services to operators, today announced the acquisition of Widality(R), an industry-leading B2B mobile app development and services company.
Wmode and Widality, two privately held companies, are joining to capitalize on the rapidly growing smartphone application opportunity. Wmode has been delivering browser based mobile data solutions for 10 years and is one of the leading industry providers of operator portals, storefronts, app stores and media delivery solutions.
Widality is the developer of momentem(TM), one of the most popular business apps for BlackBerry(R) smartphones with users in 116 countries. As a result of the acquisition, Widality will become the mobile app services group within Wmode responsible for growing revenues outside of Wmode's core operator services business.
"As the mobile app market continues to explode, new entrants are emerging every day. With this acquisition, Wmode will now deliver a range of services to app providers making it possible for them to deploy and monetize their solutions faster; all while delivering a high level of quality and support to their customers," said Emanuel Bertolin, CEO of Wmode. "We are delighted that Widality is joining us - we plan to build on the groundbreaking work they have already achieved in this emerging market."
As part of the acquisition, Wmode will accelerate investment in the award-winning momentem service and embrace the opportunities being presented by the BlackBerry Application Platform such as super app capabilities, multi-language packages, and multiple platforms including support for the new BlackBerry 6.0 operating system.
As one of the industry's early pioneers to roll out a sophisticated app and hosted service, Widality has steadily gained both industry and user accolades for the momentem service including being named a top 10 business app by Fierce Wireless, ZDNet, IT Pro, eWeek, and CIOZone. Since launching the service on BlackBerry App World two years ago, it has become one of the most widely used apps in the market.
Widality identified the need for a strategic partner to take its business to the next level and to take advantage of the abundant market opportunities ahead, and recognized that Wmode had the credibility, platform expertise, and bench strength needed to achieve this growth.
Terry Hughes, President of Widality, who is joining Wmode as Head of Market Development, commented, "The timing is perfect. Monetization of apps is about to happen on a large scale and some serious players are looking to be successful in the app market. Wmode's pedigree and our real-world experience of rolling out apps make us the ideal team to help companies across the value chain profit from the app revolution."
The new business group will deliver application lifecycle management services that enable app providers developing on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Symbian and Windows Phone 7 to reach their target audience in new ways, distribute their solutions more effectively, engage with and understand their customers, deliver more sophisticated services, and most importantly, increase revenue.
Notes to Editors:
About Wmode
Wmode operates ClearMode(R), a comprehensive service suite that provides mobile operators with the recruitment, management, discovery, delivery and payment of mobile apps, content and services. Wmode offers these technologies and services as a managed service to enable mobile operators, MVNOs, content providers and media and brand companies to deliver a broad range of wireless Internet solutions to their consumers. ClearMode, the first complete distribution solution for media and App Stores has been operated as a managed service since 2002. Wmode, founded in September 2000, is a privately held company with offices in Calgary and Toronto, Canada and Bern, Switzerland. Further information about Wmode can be found at http://www.wmode.com.
Widality is the developer of the award-winning momentem service, one of the most popular business apps on BlackBerry(R). Recently acquired by Wmode, a major provider of app distribution and content management services to wireless carriers, Widality is now leveraging momentem and Wmode expertise and technologies to provide a range of services to the app economy. The team is expanding the widality of apps, helping app providers to get above the noise and monetize, by delivering scalable quality services. http://www.widality.com
Wmode, ClearMode, Widality and momentem and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Wmode Inc. and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research in Motion Limited.
For further information: Media Contacts: Tom Beaman, SVP, Global Marketing and Sales, Wmode, Inc., +1 416.617.0506, tom.beaman(at)wmode.com; Arleigh Galant Vasconcellos, Principal, the agency, +1-403-561-4810, arleigh(at)theagencyinc.ca
Contact:
CONTACT: For further information: Media Contacts: Tom Beaman, SVP,
GlobalMarketing and Sales, Wmode, Inc., +1 416.617.0506,
tom.beaman(at)wmode.com;Arleigh Galant Vasconcellos, Principal, the
agency, +1-403-561-4810,arleigh(at)theagencyinc.ca