T-Mobile's Abysmal App Store

T-Mobile sat down with Washington Post to talk about their new mobile initiative:  their own app store.  Let's get right into it.


Here are the main details.  You'll love this.  

• Limited free apps.
• No Sidekick or Android apps.
• Developers will learn from their experience with the T-Mo's app store so T-Mo can learn from their mistakes. "This is for us to learn and for developers to learn...These are baby steps."
• Developers can set own price but T-Mo get 30-50% cut depending in bandwidth usage.  T-Mo patted itself on the back by saying it lowered the bar for entry.
• Free apps are fine but many strings attached.  No streaming or ads.  Maybe photo apps.  Maybe.
• Will test apps for developers.  Nothing new here that Apple or others will not be doing.  I think Google may not test apps.  
• No APIs yet for developers.  Just use Java ME.

Okay.  Maybe you won't love what's said.  Seriously read WP's article.  I'm not kidding about the "open" nature of the app store.  It's not very open.  I can see the reporter thinking "you're gonna get creamed".

And another thing, wireless providers should be banned from using the word "open".  Here are some links of interest if you wish to proceed this T-Mobile's "new thinking":

• T-Mobile devPartners Community
• Washington Post's detailed interview with T-Mobile's director of development.
• Onxo on app store ecosystem.  If T-Mobile goes through with this, they better learn fast.  Really fast or it can hurt their overall business.  Boneheaded move for no Sidekick or Android apps.
• Onxo thinks someone should let mobile apps run on computer OS.  Who's with us?
• Check out Microsoft's Skymarket for Windows Mobile.

I hope Android phones don't have to go through this insanity.