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Samsung takes aim at Apple’s iPhone with PocketGear as a partner

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DURHAM, N.C. – Samsung Telecommunications is taking aim at the Apple iPhone in the highly competitive mobile phone market, and PocketGear is an essential part of the marketing onslaught.

The Durham-based startup founded and led by Jud Bowman is providing the infrastructure and storefront solution as well as application distribution for Samsung’s new “Widget Store.”

“This is a huge win for us,” Bowna told Local Tech Wire and WRAl.com. “Samsung is the largest distributor of mobile phones in North America by a mile, and for them to pick us is quite an honor.”

While saying he could not disclose financial details of the day, Bowman said Samsung “is a key partner.”

“This is a very strategic initiative in the U.S. for Samsung. They see what Apple is doing with the iPhone and the iPhone apps store,” he added.

Samsung announced its touch screen-only Mystic as well as the Flight phone on Monday.

AT&T, meanwhile, also said Monday that it would support the two phones as well as two devices from Pantech. All four offer Web browsers and are geared to provide quicker online access to various content as well as applications.

The announcements came two days before the CTIA business conference opens in San Diego.

Mythic also supports AT&T Mobile TV and features a 3.3-inch screen. It will be available in November.

The Samsung devices also offer what it calls the “TouchWiz” interface that offers faster access to favorite features along with widgets for customization and personalization.

"Through our alliance with PocketGear, we are able to provide carriers and developers with a simple way to create and distribute dynamic TouchWiz applications while providing consumers with an easy to use on-device experience to discover and access them," said Omar Khan, senior vice president of strategy and product management, Samsung Mobile, in a statement. "We’re excited to offer our new TouchWiz touchscreen devices with the integrated Samsung Widget Store to the carriers, making it easier for them to stay connected with their customers using Samsung Mobile’s devices."

Bowman, who had worked with some Samsung representatives during his tenure at mobile application developer and services provider Motricity before spinning off PocketGear last year, has worked closely with the Korean company on the project.

“I’ve even been to Korea a couple of times,” he said. “They actually called us. That’s where all this started.”

PocketGeart, which provides apps store support for other carriers and maintains some of its own store fronts, is using its proprietary Fuel platform for the Samsung store.

“Our Fuel platform is proven. It has delivered more than $2.5 billion in content applications for carriers and content providers around the world,” Bowman explained. “Samsung needed a carrier-grade platform.”

Application and widget developers will work with Samsung to receive certification for what they want ton run on Samsung devices. Those applications will then be supported by PocketGear through Fuel and based on data centers where PocketGear houses its systems, Bowman said.

Samsung screens include a widget store icon that links to the PocketGear inf\rastructure.

PocketGear is backed by venture capital firms Wakfield and Noro-Moseley.

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