RIM to launch BlackBerry Application Center

Research In Motion is making yet another move to level the playing field against Apple in the consumer space. Taking a page from the iTunes App Store and Android Market book, the company is reportedly set to launch an on-device application distribution hub tentatively called the BlackBerry Application Center.

Details remain sketchy, though it appears that the store will (at least initially) be crafted specifically for users of the upcoming touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, which will run the 4.7 version of the BlackBerry OS. The BlackBerry Application Center will be a carrier-supported feature, meaning wireless service providers will be responsible for hosting all applications and ensuring they are up to date – this is a big departure from the iTunes App Store model, where Apple maintains all the control over what's approved and what isn't.

But while RIM attempts to cash into the nascent application craze with an official store, another company has already launched its competing BerryStore standalone client, which will cater to both old and new BlackBerry handsets (not just the upcoming Storm) and works across carriers.