Nonsmartphone users: Are you excited by OneApp?

By now, you may have heard rumblings about a new platform called OneApp. It’s the brainchild of Microsoft geared for entry-level phones.

The deal with OneApp is to provide access for developers interested in creating applications for limited processing power and low memory. OneApp itself is tiny, at just 150 KB, and works by launching only the part of an app that the user needs for a particular function. That alone would save valuable system resources, but Microsoft also said it would store some of the data from these programs on its own servers, to keep them from bogging down mobile phones.

Also unlike most other app platforms, OneApp isn’t brand-specific. It works on most feature phones with Java.

I can see why developers are kind of excited about this. All the app talk on the interwebs and in the news tend to be all about smartphones. But even though devices like the iPhone, Pre, Android phones and Blackberries get all the buzz, basic feature phones and entry-level handsets still make up the majority of mobile subscribers. Tapping into that market could unlock some serious profit.

So far, there are already demo apps available, including lighter versions of Facebook, Twitter, and Windows Live Messenger.

So what do you think about this news?

(A) Great! Now, I don’t have to pony up $200 to use Twitter.
(B) That’s stupid. Most people who have basic feature phones have no need for apps, otherwise they wouldn’t have bought entry-level handsets.
(C) Okay, interesting. But I’m waiting to see how well this works before I get excited.
(D) No way. If Microsoft’s behind this, it’s sure to stink.
(E) Yay! Microsoft’s behind this!

For more on OneApp, click here for the FAQ or check out its application gallery here.

[via FoneArena]

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