Research in Motion today launched its online applications catalog, dubbed App World, where BlackBerry developers can showcase their software and BlackBerry users can pay online and download them.
RIM expects about 1,000 applications to be available this week, with more in the future. App World is initially available for BlackBerry users in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. Users have to first download a smartphone application to connect to the App World Web site, via cellular or Wi-Fi links.
One early review by Om Malik concluded App World 1.0 is a “competent and useful answer to the iTunes App Store.”
The unexpected success of Apple's iTunes-related App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch has spurred rivals to match the offering, creating a clearinghouse for mobile users to find, buy and download applications directly to their handheld devices. Besides RIM, both Microsoft and Nokia have recently announced their plans to create similar online catalogs. One issue facing the new arrivals but not Apple: having to support multiple device models and OS versions.
The sites are very much a work in progress. App Store's success and growth has created its own problems: with some 25,000 applications, there are still limited tools for finding applications, comparing them, and getting user-created rankings and feedback about them. Apple has been criticized for having what some see as obscure or arbitrary procedures and standards for reviewing and approving new applications. App Store has spawned a series of other sites that “scrape” its content and represent it to users.
The RIM site will offer a “carousel” on the home page, featuring a rotating series of feature applications, along with a listing of “top downloads,” user reviews and recommendations, and key word searching.
Users also get an online folder called “My World,” which can be used to keep track of paid applications downloaded by the user. The storage space can be used to uninstall and re-install applications or transfer them to new BlackBerry models.
App World offers both free and paid applications (currently only those with a one-time fee) for smartphones with version 4.2.0 or higher of the BlackBerry operating system. Applications will be for the Bold, Storm, Pearl (including Pearl Flip), Curve 8300 and 8900 series, and 8800 series devices. Older trackwheel models are not supported. Any application that can be packaged as a compiled Java .COD file (a RIM file format) can be deployed on App World.
