In an effort to support its dying brand, AOL announced a content distribution partnership with Verizon which has some implications for Big Red smartphones and tablets running Android, Windows, or RIM operating systems. This summer, AOL will officially become the exclusive provider of the VZW Home mobile web portal, and all Verizon customers will have the AOL homepage bookmarked on their smartphone and tablet browsers. Users will be able to personalize news, weather, and other categories and tools on the AOL homepage. Anyone think this is a bit intrusive, or do you like the move by Verizon?
Check out the presser after the break.
AOL to Offer Exclusive Mobile Web Portal to Verizon’s Smartphone Customers
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AOL (NYSE: AOL) announced today a content distribution partnership that will bring the AOL.com portal to Verizon Wireless smartphones and certain tablets running the Android, Windows Mobile and RIM operating systems. It is the first time that AOL will be the exclusive provider of the VZW Home mobile web portal on smartphones and tablets for the nation’s largest wireless carrier.
Beginning this summer, existing and new Verizon Wireless customers will have the AOL portal bookmarked on their smart phones and tablets’ web browsers. The multi-device experience will feature the recently refreshed AOL homepage — with breaking news, weather and maps — as well as live streaming events and popular videos. Personalization features will allow users to customize news sources, categories and other tools to their needs.
“We are always looking to reimagine how AOL delivers high quality content across multiple devices,” says Chris Grosso, General Manager of AOL Homepages. “This arrangement with an industry leader — Verizon Wireless — helps us deliver digital experiences, at scale, to millions of consumers in innovative ways.”
About AOL
AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a brand company, committed to continuously innovating, growing, and investing in brands and experiences that inform, entertain, and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.
Can’t wait to get my galaxy s4 in gosh knows when from verizon! I can taste the bloatware fed by aol already! Shame I just now got the ever painfully slow ICS update for my Thunderbolt couple months ago because ill have to leave it for Verizon new innovative experiences. Wheres this endless money pit at so i can go ahead and feed the big red?
Wow, I’m glad I haven’t extended my contract yet. I could see that would be very intrusive.
This had NOTHING to do with “providing better service” or “more innovated choices”. This was purely AOL (ugh) and Verizon trying to earn more money. None of these “new changes” can’t already be done with having to FORCED upon everyone. Of all the companies Verizon could have “partnered with”… AOL is 1 of the all time worst choices. AOL has always operated just shy of being a rip-off company. Read just a small part of the way that company does things: wikipedia org/wiki/Criticism_of_AOL