Washington, May 8 (ANI): The US Army is creating an online application marketplace in order to empower its soldiers and boost efficiency.
Project called the Army Marketplace is headed by Colonel Gregory Motes, chief of the newly created Mobile Applications Branch.
With over 30 apps already built for both iPhones and Google Android-powered models, Motes suggests that this is more than just a place to download useful software for your phone.
"It's much more than just an app store. It's actually a place where apps can become officially certified and also where ideas can be generated, purchased, and contracted out," Fox News quoted Motes, as saying.
Many of the current apps focus on a peacetime environment, or "garrison apps," apps used for training and preparation, often containing unclassified information.
New recruits, for instance, can now replace thousands of pages of technical manuals with one simple program. Another popular new app helps soldiers maintain their diet and exercise regime, explains Motes.
But Motes' ultimate vision is one of collaboration between the army, its contractors, and its soldiers. Soldiers will have a forum to discuss their needs while developers have a direct channel to their users along with a platform to distribute their software.
"Imagine if an outside company could write a great app, unsolicited, and we had a way for these programs to be posted and downloaded on the storefront. There is also the potential to develop universal frameworks that different developers could deploy in multiple apps," said Motes.
Motes said that much of this would remain a dream until security issues are solved.
"Right now our biggest problem is that none of the new phones are that secure. If your bank app is compromised, you've lost some money and maybe the bank can replace it. If our systems are compromised then genuine lives could be put in danger," said Motes. (ANI)
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