US operator Verizon Wireless is courting Windows Mobile and BlackBerry developers, possibly for its own app store.
The carrier is launching a new developer relations program later this month, says MocoNews, which will give developers direct access to its billing platform and location information.
Verizon is also looking to speed up its approvals process, allowing developers to make their apps available to its customers more quickly and efficiently.
It's quite a turnaround for Verizon, which has traditionally been one of the most closed operators in the US when it comes to third-party developers beyond the larger games firms.
The obvious question is whether Verizon will now launch its own mobile applications store to complement its existing Get It Now and V CAST content portals.
That, of course, would clash with the app stores of Research in Motion and Microsoft for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile respectively.
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"We don't think the best experience is to have two mirror image stores on the phone," says Ryan Hughes, Verizon's VP of business development, partnerships and innovation.
All will be revealed at the company's developer conference later this month.
