T-Mobile to create App Store for "Everyone"

Wants to emulate Apple, but for all handsets

10 August 2008 17:54 GMT / By Stuart Miles

T-Mobile has confirmed in the US that it is working with developers to create an Apple like App Store for all, not just some of its handsets.

In a statement issued to moconews.com by Venetia Espinoza, T-Mobile’s director of Mobile Applications and Partner Programs T-Mobile has said:

“T-Mobile is working with the industry to foster an open wireless services platform which will provide developers with the tools and information they need to make new, innovative experiences available to T-Mobile’s more than 31.5M customers. The devPartner Community site, which is in its alpha stage, is just a taste of what T-Mobile has in store and we encourage you to stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.”

The deal is expected to run in a similar fashion to Apple's offering with developers sharing revenue with T-Mobile however rather than just work with one handset like the Apple App Store, to work with all T-Mobiles handset from the Sidekick to any newer Android based phones in the pipeline.

Apple currently takes a sign-up fee and 30 percent of all sales of all paid for applications in the App Store.

According to some commentators the impact of this move by T-Mobile could set off a wave of changes in the industry as other operators and handset manufacturers move to emulate Apple's popular App Store offering.