Yesterday, we were just talking about the pros and cons of carrier billing and before you know it, SK Telecom has announced that they will be implementing carrier billing very soon as part of an agreement with Google to strengthen the Android Market in Korea.
The agreement also includes setting up the Company Channel and supporting Android application developers. With the introduction of carrier billing, SK Telecom users will be able to pay for Android Market content by having fees charged directly to their monthly mobile bills.
Carrier billing will also allow SK Telecom subscribers to buy applications without requiring credit cards.
Applications will be priced in the local currency (that's a great move by the way) to prevent any confusion stemming from foreign exchange rate fluctuations. SK Telecom also announced plans to introduce and recommend useful applications for their subscribers by rolling out a SK Telecom channel on the main page of Android Market. The company said this will enable SK Telecom's Android phone users to discover applications most relevant to their interests. SK Telecom plans to support developers by establishing the Open Innovation Center.
Although not much has been said about how much SK Telecom will earn out of this, but looking past the dollars and cents, this scenario IS exactly what Google hope to achieve with Carrier billing - much more support from local carriers to the Android platform, promotion of apps to their subscribers and support for Android developers!
Now, I wonder whether our Singapore carriers (SingTel, Starhub and M1) are currently considering this? For the sake of all Singaporean Android users, I certainly hope so!
Via: [Telecompaper.com]
Now, to end off with a funny Android commercial from Korea (and yes, we do not get these in Singapore as well):
