Mobile Complete, a company that provides mobile application testing, monitoring and support services, launched the Boost Mobile Virtual Developer Lab (VDL) today. Boost Mobile VDL is a remote testing service that utilizes Mobile Complete’s DeviceAnywhere service. DeviceAnywhere enables users to remotely press device buttons, view displays, listen to ringers and speakers, connect and disconnect batteries and play videos from a desktop computer over the Internet. Users have virtual access to all the interfaces of a device as though the device was in their hands.
Boost Mobile is a Pay-As-You-Go mobile phone service provider that works to gain market share among young users. A majority of its 4.5 millions customers are under the age of 25. It is hoped that Boost Mobile VDL will decrease the time it takes content and application providers to bring new services to the Boost Mobile network.
“Boost Mobile is committed to staying ahead of the curve with some of the most innovative and up-to-date products and services available on the handset,” said Neil Lindsay, vice president of product management, Boost Mobile. “By partnering with Mobile Complete to create the Boost Mobile VDL, we’re making it easier for our community of developers to collaborate, test, manage and deploy our special limited edition ringtones, games and applications and bring them to market faster than ever.”
Boost Mobile VDL initially includes online access to over 20 hand sets, including several pre-commercial phones. Besides virtual access to the mobile phones, Mobile Complete will provide technical support for developers with any pressing questions. The goal of this partnership is to enhance developers’ abilities to deliver content quickly and cheaply. I don’t know what type of phones Boost Mobile’s customers use, but if Boost Mobile VDL is to be useful to developers, a majority of Boost Mobile’s 4.5 million customers have to be using, or will soon be using, the hand sets that the virtual laboratory hosts.