du, the Middle East's fastest-growing telecom service provider, has partnered with Samsung Gulf Electronics, to make it easier for customers to buy Samsung GALAXY Apps securely online.

"As a leader in the handheld device market, we prioritize presenting new, innovative and secure ways to deliver customers with premium software applications to enhance the way they work and play," said Hayssam Yassine, Head of Telecommunications Group, Samsung Gulf Electronics.

 "Through our partnership with du, customers are given a quicker, streamlined way to access the applications they need the most. Users will not need to pull out their credit cards each time they wish to make an in-store purchase, or be redirected to a third-party payment site, disrupting their GALAXY Apps experience, either. Instead, they are presented with the convenience of having all of their application purchases consolidated into their mobile bill," he said.

Jawad Shaikh, Executive Vice President, Digital Business, du, added: "We want to offer the smartest, fastest and simplest solutions for our customers, so they can do the things they want, the way they want. Now customers can charge app purchases straight to their phone bill, without the hassle of using their credit card."

Samsung GALAXY Apps is a marketplace that offers easy access to a variety of regionally relevant applications which are specially designed and carefully selected for Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Beyond convenience, GALAXY Apps prioritizes protecting users from fraudulent apps that are geared to steal personal data. A key feature of the application marketplace is that it pulls up verified and secure apps in every search after running rigorous compatibility and conformance tests.

Yassine added, "As smartphones become increasingly sophisticated every year, consumers are presented with a host of useful and attractive free and paid applications. On the downside, purchasing applications through platforms that store credit card information can place users at risk of malware, phone hacks, or make them a prime target for theft. This is why the added protection of carrier billing allows users to keep their credit card information to themselves."

To learn more about Samsung GALAXY App Store, please visit www.samsung.com

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