September launch for Palm Pre app store

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 18 Aug 2009 at 16:58

Palm says it will launch an app store for the Pre smartphone in the middle of Septemer, giving developers the chance to get paid for software they write for the handset.

According to Palm, developers will still be able to give apps away for free if they choose, but developers charging for Pre apps will receive 70% of sales revenues. The remaining 30% will go to Palm in an arrangement that mirrors Apple's app store.

The company is banking on the webOS operating system powering the Pre and its App Catalog to win back market share lost to rivals such as Apple's iPhone and RIM's BlackBerry. The Pre is the first in a line of phones to be based on webOS.

The Apps store announcement comes as Palm fights off concerns over its privacy controls. Palm Pre software developer, Joey Hess, discovered that webOS was sending information back to Palm on which applications were installed, how long they were being used for, and the current location of the handset.

The revelation sparked a storm of controversy, forcing Palm to release a statement defending the way it collects information.