Vodafone seeks devs in mobile widget contest

Mobile operator Vodafone is trying to kick-start its own alternative to the App Store by calling on devs to make widgets for various mobile phones.

Betavine, Vodafone’s mobile developer community, is offering weekly prizes to mobile developers throughout August in its Summer of Widgets competition.

Though widgets are typically non-game-related mobile phone tools, creatives can of course break the mould with a unique widget-based game.

Widgets developed as part of this competition will not be monetised, though entrants will be able to take their App ideas to an untapped community and, hopefully, receive important feedback.

Winning widgets, of which there will be three each week, will likely receive much attention as well as prizes. Vodafone will open its Widget Manager later in 2009, through which widgets can be sold to customers.