Best Buy Continues Foray Into Mobile — This Time With Apps

Best Buy Mobile NYC

Best Buy has been committed to entering the mobile space, by first opening up wireless kiosks within its larger big-box locations and even standalone mobile stores. Now, Best Buy is launching a web site, which will provide information about cellphones to consumers, and is collaborating with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) on building a series of mobile applications.

The relationship with Google also includes exclusive distribution rights for some of the compaony’s highly anticipated Android gadgets, reports Forbes.com. The goal of the initiatives is to make Best Buy more attractive to users when they go to buy a phone, and are deciding to go to an electronics dealers, like Best Buy, Radio Shack or even Amazon.com (NSDQ: AMZN), or directly to the carrier. The company has stated before that it wants to own 15 percent of the U.S. mobile phone business.

While it makes sense to launch a designated mobile site, where consumers can compare the different devices and carriers, the release of mobile applications is a bit less obvious. Best Buy Mobile President Shawn Score told Forbes that the first app, which will launch in about a month, will let consumers search for a product, and see on a map where the nearest Best Buy is and whether the product is currently in stock at that store. It’s unclear how Google will play a role, other than some apps will be destined for its operating system.

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