Another Day, Another App Store Clone.

In this case we have the BlackBerry Application Center, RIM’s answer to the iPhone App Store.

This will initially debut on the BlackBerry Storm software version 4.7.  It's on the handset, no separate web site.

Here's the rub ...

 

All application data will be stored at the carriers’ locale; RIM is totally out of the loop as far as that goes. Carriers put the applications they want on their own little store.

So it's just like the Apple App Store except for:

1. You have to deal with individual carriers.

2. The splits are probabily closer to 50/50.

3. Unlike Google or Apple, no word on Free Apps.

I can understand RIM's reasons, their existing relationship with Handango probabily precludes something as ambitious as Apple's storefront, but this really is much ado about not much here.

Nice handsets too.  Oh well.