Expanding Their Value Added Services, Smartfren Launches Third Party Android App Store

Smartfren launches its newest service, Smartfren App Store. Smartfren App Store allows Smartfren’s customer who uses Android phone to download apps and games.

Tempo reported that currently, Smartfren App Store provides around 500 apps including paid apps with the price starting from IDR1000 to IDR15000. Smartfren App Store applies phone credit cut system for user who wishes to buy the paid apps. This system is easier for user to buy an app than using credit card or Paypal.

Febrian Annas, General Manager of Value Added Service (VAS) of Smartfren says that actually Smartfren App Store is accessible since last June. Febrian claims that Smartfren user is quite enthusiastic to visit the App Store. Around 80% of Smartfren phone user has visited the App Store.

Although visited by many customers, Febrian still does not dare to target the amount of service download at the App Store for the next 2-3 months. As reported by Antaranews, Febrian says that Smartfren will see first the development of App Store in compering with Google Play as its number one competitor.

In addition to App Store, Smartfren also launches some of its VAS on Wednesday, namely Smartfren Gudang Musik, Smart Pustaka, Mobile Streaming, Smart Magic Voice, and Smart Islamic Application. Smartfren Gudang Musik is an app that allows user to legally download music content. Smart Pustaka is Smartfren’s service that allows user to download digital books including non-fiction books.

Other interesting Smartfren’s VAS is the Mobile Streaming service where user can watch live streaming of local and international TV stations such as TransTV, Indosiar, Al Jazeera, etc.

All of those services are launched by Smartfren to increase the growth of its VAS by 10% of total Smartfren income. Smartfren realizes that although traditional services such as phone call and SMS still dominate Smartfren income to 60%, eventually these services will be shifted by app based services. Therefore, VAS needs to be developed even further.