Apple’s huge iOS developer community is to be a major focus at the next two GSMA Mobile Congress events following news that Macworld Mobile will be held at the shows. The GSMA has announced it is partnering with IDG World Expo, organisers of Macworld, the world’s largest event focused exclusively on the Apple products platform, to bring a one-day Macworld Mobile iOS Developer Conference to both the Mobile Asia Congress in November and the Mobile World Congress next February.

According to a GSMA statement, each Macworld Mobile iOS Developer Conference “will provide full-day, in-depth training on this critical platform, with technical sessions, targeting tools and applications specifically designed for mobile application developers and engineers.” 

The Apple-focused events will run alongside the GSMA’s own App Planet programme. App Planet was launched at the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the success of which has led the GSMA to introduce it at the Mobile Asia Congress in Hong Kong in two months’ time, whilst App Planet will also once again be part of Mobile World Congress next year.

As owner of the world’s largest application store, the presence of Apple’s brand at the two events will be a major boost to the GSMA’s App Planet programme. Meanwhile the GSMA also announced more details on both the Hong Kong and Barcelona App Planet shows. 

RIM and Palm have signed on as Applications Developer Conference (ADC) partners in Barcelona (Mobile World Congress). “In addition to the key components of last year’s event, including ADCs held by major mobile platform providers, an interactive exhibition and the App Lounge to facilitate networking and business development activities, App Planet will also feature new elements including the Brand App Challenge,” added the GSMA. The Brand App Challenge will begin in October with the finalists being named sometime in January 2011. The Brand App Challenge winners will be announced as part of the Mobile World Congress conference programme and will receive cash awards. In total, the association expects more than 10,000 developers to visit App Planet during the four days of Mobile World Congress.  

As well as hosting Macworld Mobile at November’s Mobile Asia Congress, App Planet in Hong Kong “will feature the App Zone Exhibition, App Developer Conferences (ADCs), App Planet Forum and the App Networking Lounge.” The GSMA also outlined further details on App Planet Forum, a dedicated, day-long track of presentations and panel sessions on industry trends in mobile applications. Sha Yuejia, Executive Director and VP of China Mobile, will be the opening keynote for App Planet Forum in Hong Kong, which will take place on Tuesday, 16th November.  Sessions in the App Planet Forum will include “Making a Community”, “The Economics of the App Marketplace”, “Good Practices for App Development”, and “Delivering on the Promise”. 

For more information on App Planet at Mobile Asia Congress, visit www.mobileasiacongress.com/appplanet. For more information on App Planet at Mobile World Congress, visit http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/app_planet/app_planet_overview.htm.