RIM has sent out a mass e-mail to BlackBerry developers to help them prepare App World 3.0. At the same time, they’ve given their web portal a significant visual upgrade, presumably the first step in the transition process. The e-mail instructs developers to update their app profiles to include a short one-sentence description, as well as upload a large banner image, presumably like what’s available in the Android Market’s web store. Update: As it turns out, the web store update enabled browser-based app sideloading on Mac.
We’ve only seen a glimpse of what to expect in the on-device BlackBerry App World 3.0, and even then it’s hard to pin down any new features. We heard murmurs that there might be a dedicated section for enterprise-grade apps, and the BBM Social SDK will enable some app-sharing features through RIM’s signature instant messaging client, so it wouldn’t be crazy to expect some hooks for that in App World 3.0. Previous versions of BlackBerry App World have expanded payment options, added QR barcode scanning, and enabled browser-based purchasing and sideloading.
Selection in App World still isn’t quite what you’d see on iOS or Android (especially if you’re comparing the PlayBook’s app market), and prices tend to be higher than average, but there are a few gems to be found, depending on what you’re looking for. RIM also has a dedicated theme market which can significantly change the look and feel of the UI more than what’s possible on other platforms.
I’m curious to see what new features are available in App World 3.0; is there anything in particular you BlackBerry fans would like to see added?
[via BBin]