BlackBerry App World for India launched

BlackBerry App World for India has been launched, seven months after it was unveiled in the US and Western Europe. BlackBerry App World is an application gathering and distribution service, on the lines of the iPhone App Store started by Apple.

Blackberry App World now in India

Though BlackBerry App World went live on April 1 this year, BlackBerry users in India were unable to access any of the free and paid apps on the BlackBerry App World. Even now, after the official launch of the BlackBerry App World in India, BlackBerry users cannot download the paid apps: As of now, they have to be content with the free apps on the BlackBerry App World.

BlackBerry App World can be downloaded by logging on to the BlackBerry India website. The App World selects and shows you only those apps which are compatible with your model of BlackBerry. BlackBerry App World for India has some India-specific apps though. These include Hungama MyPlay, Mundu Radio, Arrowmatics and CNBC MoneyControl.

To use BlackBerry App World for India, you need to have data plan as well. You can download BlackBerry apps across a WiFi connection or a wireless GSM/CDMA network. “The BlackBerry platform provides a truly unparalleled mobile experience for millions of people and we are thrilled to enhance that experience with BlackBerry App World,” said Frenny Bawa, vice president, India, Research In Motion.

BlackBerry App World for India is open to those who have a BlackBerry with a trackball, a trackpad or a touchscreen. This covers most of the new models like BlackBerry Curve, BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Pearl, BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Flip. The older versions of BlackBerry with a dial in place of the trackball cannot be used to access BlackBerry App World India. The BlackBerrys should be running OS 4.2 or above.

Dancewithshadows tried downloading some of the free apps available on BlackBerry App World for India, and came away partially satisfied; partially, because we would have loved to have the entire range of free and paid apps to choose from.

BlackBerry App World hosts third party applications made by individual developers but verified by Research In Motion for use across several BlackBerrys. The practice of handset makers promoting online application warehouses was started by Apple with its iPhone App Store. It was followed by the Nokia App Store, Windows Market Place for Mobile and the Android Marketplace. Such online stores add credibility to the multitude of apps developed by independent programmers. The paid apps are hosted free on these online app stores, while in the case of paid apps, the developer and the handset maker share the revenue.