Although it’s not much of a surprise to Android followers, Google formally announced its application repository today. Dubbed “Android Market” (now known as the Google Play Store), it was exactly what people had been expecting. According to the official Android Developers Blog, it was “an open content distribution system that will help end users find, purchase, download and install various types of content on their Android-powered devices.”
We’d long been asking for a single place for users to get their apps. Having one destination to look for, rate, and purchase applications helps those new to Android, and at that point, we all were. It also helps those who need something they can trust, especially people with concerns about having an open handset. This was a welcome announcement. Some of us felt strongly that unless Google adopted such a marketplace, they could fall well behind Apple and its App Store distribution model.
For rating applications, the marketplace took a page from YouTube’s book. It had worked well for videos, so it seemed logical to apply the same approach to apps. Powered by Google Search, it would be straightforward to find whatever programs you were looking for.
