Orange has announced the launch of its own app store with the debut of the Orange App Shop, available now over-the-air to around 1 million customers in the UK and France, with wider roll-out plans for 2010.

With one click homescreen access, the App Shop offers around 5000 applications, games, ringtones and wallpapers, which are designed to only show up on compatible handsets.

Integrating existing services such as Orange TV, Orange Games and Orange Maps, Orange promises future content including "premium" mobile apps from third-party devs.

Anything in the shop can be downloaded and bought via an Orange mobile bill, so customers do not need to pre-register or flash the plastic.

From January the Nokia 6700 and the Sony Ericsson W995 will be preloaded with the App Shop while later in the year, the pre-load list will also include Samsung, LG, HTC, Motorola and RIM handsets.

Recommended articles