Jennifer Lopez targets Latino market with her own Viva Movil cellphone stores

By Trevor Mogg May 23, 2013

Not content with pushing out hit songs, a successful acting career, running a film and TV production company, and launching lines in clothes and perfume, Jennifer Lopez, a woman evidently with more hours in the day than most of us, has announced she’s all set to open 15 cellphone stores in a deal struck between her Viva Movil brand and telecom giant Verizon. The venture is also backed by wireless firm Brightstar and Moorehead Communications, one of Verizon’s largest premium retailers.

The first of the stores will open its doors in New York on June 15, with more to open in Los Angeles and Miami.

Recommended Videos

So why exactly is JLo hoping to break into the mobile market? Ah, here’s why. According to the singer/actor/entrepreneur/etc, Latinos have a combined purchasing power of $1.2 trillion annually. Presumably she’ll be hoping most of that goes on mobile phones (and JLo-branded accessories) bought at her stores.

“Latinos need a place to go and they need to be catered to because it is such a growing demographic and market and people want to capture that, and they deserve to be catered to,” Lopez said Wednesday at a special event in Las Vegas announcing her new venture.

She added, “As an entrepreneur, empowering the Latino community is at the core of what I choose to have my businesses stand for and exemplify.”

Staff at the stores will be bilingual and trained to provide customers with a “culturally relevant shopping experience.”

Viva Movil’s deal with Verizon means it’ll be an authorized reseller, with identical prices and plans offered to customers. Available handsets will include the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S4, as well as the latest devices from BlackBerry.

A bilingual website and Facebook app will also form part of the launch, with Lopez appearing on both to offer advice on the best handsets available. Shoppers will also be able to make phone purchases using the website.

The website is already live, and includes a statement from JLo suggesting “you deserve a better shopping experience, from premium stores that are family friendly, to being addressed in the language of your choice.”

So how about it? Do you think Lopez is onto something here with Viva Movil? Or is it a business venture doomed to fail?

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Mobile

The Pixel Watch is about to get a long-awaited software update

The Google Pixel Watch 3 lying on top of a plant.

For the most part, Google has issued an update to the Pixel Watch roughly once a month. Most were simple security updates, while others included new features and OS upgrades. Fans expected an update in October, but Google delayed it until this month. This update will resume the rollout of Wear OS 5 to Pixel Watch 1 and Pixel Watch 2 users after a series of crashes caused Google to pause it back in September. After several months of work, the company has addressed the cause of the crashes and is confident that yesterday's update will be stable.

In addition to Wear OS 5, the update will also include better camera controls and changes to the Pixel Recorder app, which will be available through the Play Store. Your individual watch will notify you when the update is available for download, so you don't have to constantly check for it. The first update for the Pixel Watch 3 since its launch is also coming with bug fixes and security updates. All Pixel Watch models will eventually update to version AW2A.241105.012, although when the update happens will depend on both the carrier and the device.

Mobile

I wore two of 2024’s best smart rings. This is the one you should buy

A person holding the Oura Ring 4 and the RingConn Gen 2.

Now that the Oura Ring 4 is here, how does it stack up against the RingConn Gen 2? I’ve had both smart rings on for several weeks to help understand where each ring's strengths lie and which is the best to buy.

It's easy to think it all comes down to the price and whether you want to pay a subscription or not, but by wearing these smart rings, understanding the design differences, and testing out the very different apps each day, I can give you a much deeper insight into the best one to wear over the long term.
Is the Oura Ring 4 or the RingConn Gen 2 more comfortable?
The RingConn Gen 2 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Mobile

These ESR Gear mobile accessory deals are Apple-tastic — Save over 50% off

ESR Gear mobile accessory deals -- MagSafe 3-in-1 charger with devices

Shiny new phone? Preparing to get one soon? Congratulations, that's always a great feeling, isn't it? The dopamine hit of the mobile upgrade. But now it's time to start thinking about some smarter more efficient ways to use that device, even if it's not new. That's where mobile accessories come into the equation. From stands to car mounts and portable power packs, they extend the functionality and usability of your favorite and beloved smartphone. Chief among the phone gear options is ESR Gear with its excellent selection of MagSafe accessories. Need an example? Look no further than the ESR 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger with Qi2 wireless charging and CryoBoost cooling technology. It can charge the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch, fast.

But here's the thing: You came here under the guise that there were some great deals to be had, and I don't blame you, so let's get right into those. You can expect to save upwards of 30% off some of ESR Gear's best MagSafe options. They're already discounted, plus there are exclusive coupon codes to get an extra 10% off. All coupon codes are valid until December 25th.