Opera gives 70m Brazilians access to app store in partnership with TIM

Opera has partnered with Brazilian mobile operator TIM to launch the TIM App Shop, which will be powered by the Opera Mobile Store.

According to The Next Web, the partnership will see the TIM App Shop pre-loaded on all devices sold by the mobile carrier, which is Brazil’s second largest.

It is also reportedly the preferred carrier for the country’s middle class. In a country where fixed internet connections are still comparatively expensive, that means its mobile devices will also be the primary means by which its customers access the internet.

Given that a large portion of those customers likely don’t have credit cards, it also means that the ability to access apps through carrier billing could be strategically important. It also means that it can guarantee people a choice of around 50 000 apps that don’t depend on what phone they have. The apps in the Opera store are compatible with most devices, including Android, Java, Symbian, BlackBerry and iOS.

According to Opera, it “has collaborated closely with TIM to create a storefront experience for TIM App Shop that meets the needs and expectations of its users.” The apps are all available in English and Portuguese for instance.

“This marks the first time we’re partnering with a Latin America carrier for app distribution,” says Opera CEO Lars Boilesen.