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T-Mobile USA is set to launch its own applications store, in one of the most aggressive moves by an operator to steal some thunder from Apple App Store, Android Market and other vendor-driven platforms. It will release the beta version of its new devPartner Community program this week, and this is expected to evolve early next year into a full blown content download portal and store, unified by the T-Mobile network and brand but available on all its supported handsets. The operator, which is playing catch-up in the US 3G market, also aims to steal a march on rivals with more established networks by being first in the world to offer an Android phone - the HTC-made device could ship as early as next month.

The initial point of the devPartner initiative is to provide developers with an easier and more efficient channel for dealing with T-Mobile. Many third party applications providers complain that they are deterred from working with carriers because they have too many restrictions, or are complicated to work with. This makes them more easily attracted to services run by vendors, which usually have more experience of working with developers.

Speaking at the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment event last week in San Francisco, T-Mobile USA's director of mobile apps and partner programs, Venetia Espinoza, said the devPartner Community model will enable developers to market their apps directly via the carrier's deck. They will earn between 50% and 70% of the revenues from the software, and will have the right to determine their own premium download pricing. From this week, the devPartner site will provide partners with rate cards and clickthrough agreements outlining the standard business arrangement with T-Mobile, which will also offer technical support, apps trials and a virtual laboratory.

This is several steps away from a full store, but the company is eager to boost its data ARPU - which lags that of AT&T and Verizon - and has stated that applications downloads are an important route to this. It is therefore expected to open up its store in the first quarter of 2009, moving on from its current deck, which varies depending on the device and the operating system.

The success of Apple's AppStore is clearly attracting the operators to grab a share of the spoils while they still have the chance of a major position in the mobile internet value chain. T-Mobile's reported move could well spark similar ventures by other operators, in the biggest carrier bid to control mobile web applications since NTT DoCoMo unleashed its iMode service on Japan. One reason for iMode's success in its native country was the generous share of revenues it granted to developers (though by the time it was launched in other territories, this differentiation had been lost). T-Mobile should bear the iMode experience in mind, and appreciate that generosity to developers will be the main way to populate its store quickly and take on the mighty brand of Apple - whose store, despite popularity with consumers, is still criticized by some programmers for being over-controlled and mean with the revenue split. The promised 50-70% share for developers should address this issue effectively.

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