Microsoft Devices tie up with Idea Cellular for operator billing for apps

Microsoft Devices on Monday announced a new initiative that will enable Idea Cellular subscribers to purchase paid apps from Windows Store through operator billing.

The service will be available to all Idea subscribers on all Lumia devices and Windows-based smartphones across brands. In case of postpaid users, the amount will be added to the monthly bill. For pre-paid users, the amount will be deducted from their account balance.

Such a tie-up has a huge potential considering there are many smartphone users who don't wish to enter their credit card details on app stores.

Also, according to Microsoft Devices, credit card penetration in India is low as there are only 19 million credit cards in the country.

This is the first operator billing for apps in India. There have been reports suggesting Google is in talks with Airtel for a similar service for its Google Play Store.

The revenue sharing model between Microsoft Devices and Idea Cellular hasn't been disclosed.

At the moment, there are 34 million smartphone users using data on the Idea network. Microsfot has over 5.50 lakh applications listed on its Windows Store.

Sashi Shankar, Chief Operating Officer, Idea Cellular, says, "This development eases a consumer's access to premium apps on Windows Store through a convenient purchase process."

"Microsoft is constantly working on expanding monetisation options for developers on our platforms and this partnership is another step in that direction. With the introduction of operator billing, we have seen an increase in consumer commerce across developed and emerging markets," stated, Harish Vaidyanathan, Director - Evangelism at Microsoft India.