Teletext Mobile has launched App Factor, a new monthly competition for iPhone/iPad developers to win an app publishing deal. Teletext Mobile is the mobile publishing division of AND (formerly, Associated Northcliffe Digital), and has created a number of popular apps, including Metro, Travel Tip-off, and Findaproperty.

App Factor is open to all developers, who are able to enter any app that is not currently in the Apple App Store. Each month, one developer will be offered a publishing deal by Teletext Mobile that will provide promotional opportunities and investment to drive consumer awareness, and improved monetisation via its commercial partnerships. Winning apps will be promoted across the AND and DMGT (Daily Mail & General Trust portfolio, including Metro, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Jobsite.co.uk, Findaproperty and Teletext Holidays, reaching a monthly audience of 40m people.

Following a soft launch in April, the first winner of App Factor has been announced as MirrorMe. This is an app that uses facial recognition software and medical research to show what a person will look like in the future, depending on different lifestyles, eg smoking, drinking, sleep etc. It was built by three university friends, who wanted to reach audiences with a message about their health.

“App Factor is going to be really important for developers,” says Teletext Mobile MD, Neil Johnson. “12 app developers per year will be awarded a publishing deal with Teletext Mobile, and we will work to make each of those apps famous. With over 150,000 apps already in the iTunes App Store, it is easy for brilliant apps to get lost in the crowd. This is a unique opportunity for developers to reach an audience of millions and gain real traction. It’s extremely difficult for developers to monetise their apps, however good the app may be, and we are in a position to really change that for the winners of App Factor.”

The competition deadline is the first Monday of each month. The next deadline is 5 July 2010.