Keen to increase the role of operators in the smartphone market, mobile content solutions firm Motricity has announced the launch of its new mCore marketplace.

Described by Motricity as a tool that will allow operators to bring "buyers and sellers together through one open, integrated exchange", mCore is being seen by many as the result of the company playing catch-up with runaway success of native marketplaces such as the App Store.

Super-social-storefront

Pitched directly at carriers, the service will aim to "transform carrier storefronts" to enable them to sell their own goods alongside those from thirdparties in a "user-centric mobile shopping experience".

In short, carriers who implement mCore will be able to roll-out identical marketplaces over several handsets that tie-in both with their respective brands, and the increasing social-network bent of current offerings.

"The demand for mobile goods and services is expanding and with it the opportunity for increased adoption, usage and revenue. At the same time, however, the mobile commerce ecosystem is becoming increasingly fragmented as a result of a proliferation of applications and content," said Motricity CEO Ryan Wuerch.

Bringing back the balance

He added, "Consumers and developers are getting lost in the noise and that is where mCore Marketplace comes in - bringing simplicity to the complex world of mobile commerce.

"Carriers have the unique ability to bring buyers and sellers together, and, they have an important role to play in this evolving mobile commerce ecosystem, providing open access, governance and a free exchange of information."

Though Motricity can already call upon previous or existing relationships with the likes of Verizon and AT&T in the US, marketplaces are increasingly OEM or OS centric, meaning the company could have a fight on its hands if it is to bring carriers back into the fight.

[source: Motricity]