When it comes to selling Android apps on a phone, it looks like every handset maker wants to get into the act. Just a bit more than a week ago, we reported that Motorola was getting into the act with an online store called SHOP4APPS that will sell only Android related applications and be available on the manufacturer's Android powered devices only. Sony Ericsson has just announced that they will accept submissions of apps and games for Android devices to be part of the joint venture's PlayNow online content store. One benefit of hooking up with Sony Ericsson is that they feature certain apps on their YouTube channel, like the one below of Layar's Augmented Reality browser. Imagine the publicity you would receive from having your app featured like that. PlayNow has 70 million users, but until the Xperia X10 is launched, Sony Ericsson has no Android powered handsets itself.
On the other hand, General Mobile has already released the Android flavored DSTL1 and is planning a Android 2.0 model for this year. The manufacturer is also offering its own competition to Android Market with the "Storeoid". We have some pictures below of what Storeoid will look like, although the apps listed are just for display purposes. Storeoid will be available on General Mobile Android handsets only.
This is how competition starts. You have the Android Market that serves most Android devices. The manufacturers think they can do a better job or they see a niche that the Android Market isn't filling, and all of a sudden, new Android marketplaces are on the way. Of course, which one you get depends on the name of the manufacturer on your Android phone. For developers, the more places they can offer their wares, the better.
*UPDATE: Sony Ericsson has just posted a tweet, informing its customers that it won't be replacing Android Market with PlayNow on its phones, so those who would rather stick with the standard Android Market will have that opportunity.
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Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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