• by Ben Frederick  @mp_benfred, December 23, 2015

Appnext, an app monetization and distribution platform, announced a partnership with Chinese mobile device manufacturer Hisense to utilize Appnext’s app discovery widget on some of its devices. The partnership aims to deliver personalized content and apps to Hisense users.

“With this partnership we have surpassed more than half a million mobile devices with the Appnext App Discovery widget installed and hope to gain a broader reach in the coming months,” stated Wang Gui Cheng, Hisense director of product. The widget recommends apps based on location, serves as an umbrella app for all pre-installed apps which cleans up users’ home pages, and generates revenue by showing relevant ad campaigns to users.

Appnext announced a 300% growth rate in 2014, due largely to the introduction of a programmatic buying solution to serve ads on a cost-per-install (CPI) basis. In mid-2015, they introduced native video ads to their exchange, and in November they introduced a self-serve ad solution to help publishers manage their inventory better.

Hisense recently produced a phone marketed to withstand everyday accidents and then some: “King Kong” was released earlier this year with an ad campaign showing the phone breaking walnuts and watermelons. The phones are dust proof and waterproof, and are marketed specifically in the Middle East.