RIM updates App World with carrier billing
New user interface and better search also feature in first major upgrade
Published: 18 June, 2010
READ MORE: Research In Motion | App Store
RIM, fighting to keep its BlackBerry OS modern and relevant to the mobile web, has unveiled a new version of its application store, BlackBerry App World 2.0. This will be publicly available this summer.
This is the first major update since App World was first launched in the US in April 2009 - since then it has just received some maintenance updates and minor aesthetic changes. The biggest change in release 2.0 is support for carrier billing, always an important driver of consumer apps uptake. Previously, PayPal was the only payment choice for App Store users, even though some people are wary of that system for security and privacy reasons, especially in RIM's enterprise heartland. RIM has also added a credit card option.
These enhancements remove a major barrier to App World use, though the firm has not yet revealed which carriers will support the new billing mechanisms.
Other changes include a new design for the 'My World' section, which displays information on the apps users have purchased in the past, and it now includes specific sections for installed apps and pending downloads. BlackBerry themes will be accessible via a 'Top Themes' area, and a 'Newest Apps' category highlights the latest App World submissions.
Also, 'BlackBerry ID' ties the store to an email address and lets customers switch devices and carriers without losing any App World apps or settings. And the whole user interface has been polished up, and the search functionality has reportedly been greatly improved.
App World currently has about 25m active users, with nearly one million downloads per day, according to RIM. It was recently opened in Taiwan and Japan, but remains very US-centric, and there was no word on when release 2.0 would get beyond north America. The new version will be available for all current BlackBerry devices. However, there has been no change on the policy of limiting paid apps to those costing $2.99 or more (to reinforce RIM's 'quality not quantity' approach, appropriate to its business driven user base).
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