James Rosewell writes:

Mobile network operators have responded en-masse to the success of Apple’s App Store. Apple should be very concerned. The Wholesale Application Community (WAC) has been formed as a corporate entity today with representation from AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, GSMA, KT Corporation, NTT DOCOMO, SK Telecom, Smart Communications, SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp., Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telekom Austria Group, Telenor, Verizon and Vodafone. Not many major Mobile Network Operators (MNO) are missing from the list.

Phones 4u and DSG International have announced a retail partnership that'll create over 50 ‘Phones 4u at Currys’ store-within-store areas this year. The plans build on recent trials in Birmingham, Thurrock, Hedge End, Merry Hill and Stevenage Currys Megastores. More outlets are planned for 2011.

There'll be no more mobile phones made exclusively for the Vodafone 360 service.

The network revealed two exclusive phones when the service was launched in September last year – the Samsung-produced H1 and M1 – but no more will be made. Instead, the network will focus on the service itself.

Hewlett-Packard, which announced a takeover of Palm earlier this year, says future HP smartphones will only run the webOS operating system.

In an interview with CNBC, HP Executive Vice President Todd Bradley said his company will continue to work with Microsoft but will only use the Palm-designed webOS for new smartphone devices.

Chip designer ARM has signed a new agreement with Microsoft. Although details of the agreement will remain confidential, it's described as giving Microsoft closer access to ARM's technology. The two companies have worked together since 1997.