Opera launches mobile appstore

Opera Software has launched its own mobile appstore which stocks apps that run on various mobile platforms including Android and BlackBerry devices. The company also unveils a new portal to help developers publish apps on the new storefront.

In a press statement Tuesday, the Web browser maker said its Opera Mobile Store is accessible to users of its mobile browsers--Opera Mini and Opera Mobile--as well as mobile browsers from other makers.

Built and delivered using Appia's storefront commerce technology, the appstore carries apps that run on various mobile platforms in more than 200 countries, including Google Android, Research in Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry, Nokia Symbian and Java.

Opera added that the appstore can be customized according to a user's device, operating system, local language and currency. In addition, Opera Mini and Opera Mobile users will be able to access the appstore via a speed-dial link in their respective browsers.

During its soft launch last month, the appstore was visited by more than 15 million users from 200 countries and saw over 700,000 downloads per day.

In conjunction with the launch, Opera also unveiled the Opera Publisher Portal to help developers publish their apps on the new appstore.

"The launch of the Opera Mobile Store supports Opera's core belief in an open, cross-platform mobile Internet experience by providing Opera users with an integrated storefront of mobile applications" Mahi de Silva, Opera's executive vice president of consumer mobile, said in the statement.

Today's launch puts Opera in a growing list of third-party appstore operators including Taiwanese handset maker HTC, e-commerce giant Amazon as well as mobile operators such as M1 and SingTel in Singapore.