RIM to launch BlackBerry App World
p2pnet news view | Mobiles:- If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
And then beat ‘em.
BlackBerry owner Canada’s RIM (Research in Motion launched) has opened an online application store — and that might be its hope.
It’s called App World and, “The pricing model will immediately draw comparison’s to Apple’s App Store set-up,” says ZDNet, going on the comparison, however, only goes so far.
App World will, “allow you to select a suggested retail price in US dollars for your application disassociated the pricing tier,” says RIM, quoted by ZDNet. RIM’s chart on the right shows the application price before currencies available.)
But, “WOAHHHHHH,” says Kevin Michaluk on Crackberry, going on:
“Hold your Horses! After RIM updated their BlackBerry App World website tonight, they also updated their Developer FAQ which now includes a chart that details the pricing tiers for apps.”
The minimum price for paid apps will be $2.99, he says, potentially good news for developers, “but bad news for the BlackBerry owners out there thinking that RIM’s application storefront would usher in 99 cent BlackBerry app pricing a la the iPhone App Store.”
Crackberry continues »»»
Of course, free apps are still welcome, but as previously blogged the way their developer agreement is currently structured it’ll cost money to submit free apps to the store. Most people are willing to pay $3 (or more) for an app if it’s a good app. Where the 99 cent and $1.99 tiers fit well are for the not good but fun apps (fart apps, beer apps, etc.) which by the looks of this RIM would rather not see hit their app store. What do you think? Good move or big mistake? Let us know in the comments!
However, opines Larry Dignan in ZDNet, “a business audience isn’t going to sweat a $2.99 application compared to a 99 cent minimum priced app. And RIM’s audience is likely to even pay higher prices if the App World can actually deliver software with a real business use. And there are so many tiers to the App World model that RIM could have said ‘charge what you want’.”
He also figures RIM’s App World “will do well,” but isn’t going to be a success, “as measured by Apple’s store” which is, “likely to be more BlackBerry-ish—the applications will be more business focused, tool oriented and won’t feature hot games.”
App World is slated to go online at the end of this month, the Canadian Press has Jeff McDowell, RIM’s vice-president of Global Alliances, saying.
“It’s a check mark that consumers want to know,” he said. “It will absolutely drive greater adoption of BlackBerry.”
And, “The developers are keeping 80 per cent of their revenue.”
“RIM is looking to set itself apart from Apple’s App store on several fronts, including making it easier to keep apps when BlackBerrys are upgraded, lost or changed and rating the popularity of apps based on feedback and price points instead of by the number of downloads, McDowell said,” adds CP.
There’s a $200 submission fee, refunded if the software is rejected, says ZDNet.
ZDNet – RIM carves out its own App World: Will it work?, March 5, 2009
Crackberry – $2.99 Minimum Paid App Price at BlackBerry App World!, March 4, 2009
Canadian Press - ‘App’ stores to cater to cellphone users drive, March 5, 2009
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