NTT DoCoMo Inc. will begin selling smartphone games through its web site as early as autumn, President Kaoru Kato said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun.
The move is part of the leading cellphone carrier's attempt to expand on its current business model, which relies primarily on telecommunications charges, and tap into the growing market for digital content. In addition to offering video and music, NTT DoCoMo started an animation distribution service in July in a link-up with Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.
"The next step is games," Kato said. "We will select games with distinctive features and start delivering them in autumn or winter."
He said NTT DoCoMo will partner up with game publishers to offer new content through its "d Market" website.
"We will not make games ourselves, but join hands with others."
As for social networking games, which have caused problems for users because of the high data charges they incur, Kato only said, "At this point, they are under consideration."
The president added that the carrier plans to strengthen its retail operations by stepping up cross-industrial acquisitions and tie-ins.
"Firms are being attracted by DoCoMo’s 60 million users," Kato said. "We will speed up negotiations to make the most of these opportunities."
Despite stiff competition posed by rival carriers, which support Apple Inc.’s iPhone, Kato said his company's new Galaxy S III smartphone, produced by Samsung, is selling well.
"People who had considered buying an iPhone say they liked our new device," Kato said. "We will continue to fight back with wide-ranging services and new devices."
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