Mobile and Devices Developer Center

Developing Flash Lite for BREW applications for Verizon Wireless

Understanding the Flash Lite for BREW marketplace

There are two development models that can be utilized to distribute Flash Lite content through Verizon Wireless. You can develop content directly for Verizon Wireless or you can develop content for a supported Verizon Wireless Flash Lite content catalog partner (sometimes called an "aggregator") such as Atom Entertainment, FunMobility, or Smashing Ideas.

Both the type of content and the amount of content that you plan to sell through Verizon Wireless will determine whether developing for a Flash Lite content catalog partner will be a profitable decision for you. It is very important to understand the pros and cons of direct development and catalog partners when determining your goals.

Before determining which model best suits the type of content that you are developing, you should understand the development process and real costs associated with each model.

Direct development model

These steps, described further in this article, are required for developing Flash Lite content directly for Verizon Wireless:

1. Register as a Verizon Wireless developer.
2. Register as a Qualcomm BREW developer and pay the corresponding $400 fee.
3. Develop Flash Lite for BREW content using the Flash Lite Publisher for BREW for Flash Professional 8, the BREW SDK (3.1.5), the BREW tools suite, and a Flash Lite 2.1 for BREW-enabled Verizon Wireless device.
4. Submit content to the National Software Testing Labs (NSTL) for TRUE BLUE testing (note that NSTL testing can easily reach in excess $10,000).
5. Once NSTL approved, define your pricing and submit your content to the BREW content catalog.
6. If Verizon Wireless selects your content from the BREW content catalog, negotiate a revenue sharing agreement (you will typically earn 35–40% of the selling price of your content).

Flash Lite content catalog partners

The steps required for developing for Flash Lite content catalog partners include:

1. Select a catalog partner such as Atom Entertainment, FunMobility, or Smashing Ideas.
2. Sign a mutual non-disclosure agreement.
3. Send the catalog partner your content.
4. If content is accepted by the catalog partner, sign a revenue sharing agreement (you will typically earn 10–20% of the selling price of your content).
5. Work with the catalog partner to develop content at all required screen sizes.

The direct development model has much higher upfront costs, but the potential revenue earning is nearly twice that of the Flash Lite content catalog partner model. If you are developing Flash Lite content that will have a relatively low selling price or you cannot justify the upfront investment of the direct model, working with a content catalog partner can be a good option. The most common types of content sold through catalog partners are animated wallpapers, screensavers, and casual games.

Generally, the pros of developing for a Flash Lite content catalog partner include:

• Fewer upfront costs
• An understanding of BREW development and NSTL testing is not required
• Content catalog partners negotiate with Verizon Wireless on your behalf
• Perfect for wallpapers, screensavers, and casual games

The cons of developing for a Flash Lite content catalog partner include:

• Smaller percentage of revenue (as much as half)
• Creative freedom is at the mercy of the catalog partner
• Not all content is accepted by the catalog partner

If you are having trouble getting your content adopted by one of the Flash Lite content catalog partners or you are developing consumer applications that will have a higher selling price than a wallpaper, screensaver, or casual game, the direct distribution model may be your best option. Consider that an application selling for $10 on the Verizon Wireless Get It Now service would need to sell fewer than 3,000 copies in order to recover an investment of $10,400 in development costs, assuming you were earning 35% of all sales revenue.

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