BlackBerry makes things easy for its users

BlackBerry makes things easy for its users

B D Narayankar

UNTIL NOW, smartphone users all over the globe were sweating their way out to manage, install, upgrade and purchase applications along with a wide array of choices and enhanced application discovery. But with the Research In Motion’s (RIM) plan to introduce online distribution drives for BlackBerry smartphone applications - BlackBerry Storefront and BlackBerry Application Centre, things will be easier and convenient for BlackBerry users to search for, purchase or download programmes for their handsets.

The BlackBerry Application Storefront, which is slated to be launched around March 2009, will allow developers to keep nearly 80 per cent of the revenue generated from their applications and hold the authority to decide on the price of these applications. RIM has already asked all interested developers to throw in the towel of their applications and content for inclusion in the storefront in December 2008.

“Introduction of more consumer-friendly features in BlackBerry smartphones has helped generate a groundswell of interest with new developers that has already resulted in the introduction of thousands of consumer and lifestyle oriented applications for BlackBerry smartphones. The new BlackBerry application storefront and BlackBerry application centres will further support the growing BlackBerry ecosystem and help bridge consumers with developers and carriers as more and more innovative and interesting applications arrive,” said Mike Lazaridis, president and Co-CEO at RIM.

RIM is aggressively pursuing the ’prosumer’ and casual market with the launch of the application store and by introducing new consumer-friendly devices such as the BlackBerry Curve, Flip and the touch-screen Storm. Lazaridis said that RIM’s roots and success in the enterprise market is bound to give it an edge over its competitors in the consumer market. “This platform has been developed, evolved, and perfected in the most demanding markets around the world. The consumer wireless data market is taking off, and that’s a great opportunity for all of you,” continued Lazardis as he talked to developers.

In order to give consumers a secure and convenient way to pay for applications, RIM is in works with a leading global online payment service, PayPal. The two companies plan to let you pay for applications via the new application storefront, right from your BlackBerry smartphone.

In addition to this, RIM is toiling to bring in carrier-customised on-device application centres in tandem with its carrier partners. These, RIM hopes, will allow after-market application downloads by letting each carrier offer a convenient catalog straight on the device. So customers can now discover and download new applications.

Having already worked successfully with carriers to provide this type of on-device distribution system for BlackBerry, smartphone application for individual software applications like Facebook, the new application centre will permit the carrier to build on a broader catalog. This is sure to give provide customers a very handy and hassle-free method to purchase and download applications.