BlackBerry users will soon get their own on-device software store, just like Apple iPhone and now T-Mobile G1 users already have.
Research In Motion, which makes the popular push e-mail smartphones, said it will launch the store in March next year. Developers can start contributing applications in December this year and will keep 80% of revenue.
Also, customers will be able to pay using eBay’s PayPal system, while companies using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server or BlackBerry Professional Software can control which applications are allowed to download, officials said.
Research In Motion also announced a technology it calls Web Signals, which developers can use to notify customers when updates are available.
Other new developer tools for BlackBerry devices include a plug-in for Eclipse, an updated version the existing Microsoft Visual Studio plug-in and new support for Google Gears.
In a separate announcement, AT&T today said it will finally ship the BlackBerry Bold on Nov. 4, starting at $299.99 with a 2-year contract.
