Cellmania has extensive experience in developing, managing and distributing mobile application storefronts for handset operators. Its mFinder white label system counts Telstra, Telus, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Sprint, Airtel, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Optus, Orange and others among its clientele.
On its website, Cellmania says that it will continue to support its existing client base even after joining RIM.
The Cellmania acquisition shows that RIM is willing to invest in a solid infrastructure for its platform. The BlackBerry App World just received a major overhaul, however, despite RIM's large device penetration, available apps in App World pale in comparison to both the iPhone and Android's offerings.
Still, it's important to remember that there is a lot more to a robust application store -- especially on the mobile front -- than just having a large quantity of applications.
For instance, despite its soaring growth, paid app support in the Android Market is still limited to a handful of countries, as compared to the much wider international presence of Nokia's Ovi Store and the iOS App Store. Google has also faced challenges with its mobile payment options.
This is where a company like Cellmania can give RIM a real advantage. Because it powers the individual app stores that mobile phone carriers tie to many of their feature phones, the company already has vast infrastructure in place for working with various carriers, collecting payments from multiple sources and accepting application submissions from developers all over the world.
Having a streamlined system for both delivering apps to users and collecting app submissions from developers will only become more important as smartphone usage continues to grow and other mobile devices like tablets become more prominent.