Interesting comments just now from Vodafone content services director Lee Epting during a panel debate on how to make money out of apps. Prompted by a remark from Getjar CMO Patrick Mork that developers need to make money, Epting said: “We’re in the business of selling tariffs. I appreciate that developers need to make money and it’s our job to provide them with a platform to do that. We distribute Shazam and do the nirvana for developers and embed the app in the device. We can’t do that for everyone, but we have innovative models on the try & buy side for innovative content. Some developers are doing it for regard and recognition in their industry, other just want to do cool things and wow people, but we are about selling tariffs plans and the way we will do that is to differentiate ourselves by having the best content.”

A few moments later, she said that it “might be worth dropping the pants on this one” to give the developers a greater share of the revenue from apps, though later, she backtracked, telling delegates: “Don’t quote me on that one” and suggested that what Vodafone could do for developers was not so much to amend the 70/30 revenue split in the developer’s favour, but rather, to assist developers through placement, promotion and outreach, suggesting that Vodafone could do this “on a scale that no-one else can, because we have the SMS channel and we have the touchpoints, so we can give value to developers through premium placement and outreach to the customer.”

As far as the revenue share goes then, as you were.

David Murphy
Editor