It is not that common for a phone manufacturer to have a special app store –though it certainly applies for those that own specific operating systems. This is the case with Apple’s iTunes for the iOS as well as the custom app stores for RIM’s BlackBerry OS and Palm’s WebOS. Even Samsung’s new Bada OS also has its own store.
Unlike the above mentioned platforms, Windows Phone 7 is owned and made by Microsoft, not HTC. And while Microsoft is coming up with its own app store for the new Windows Phone platform (much like an extension of the already existing Marketplace), HTC believes that it has something more to offer to WP7 users.
It has to be noted that despite the large role that HTC has played in the development of the Android operating system, they do not have a custom app store for the Google mobile platform. In any case, HTC will certainly need to come up with really good apps that would attract WP7 users –given Microsoft’s good hold of many app developers, HTC is hard pressed to come out with its own app lineup.
Aside from the new app store, the Taiwan based phone maker has also announced that they will be launching the HTC Legend’s 2.2 Froyo Android OS update pretty soon.
This will certainly be a cause for joy for many Legend owners as the smart phone has been pretty much neglected since it first came out earlier this year. According to reports, the handset will be getting the update within the next few weeks.
With the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread looming over the horizon, Android phone makers are pressured to speed up the update process from 2.1 Éclair to Froyo (or in some cases, from 1.6 Donut even). While it will certainly be a while before OS fragmentation will ever be truly addressed, there is certainly something exciting about a new Android version.
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