Verizon to remove Windows Mobile app store

We have written a few days ago about Verizon providing new developer services for Windows Mobile phones on their network.  Little did we know that, rather evilly, they plan to remove the native Windows Mobile application store to promote their own instead.

According to GigaOM Verizon’s Ryan Hughes, VP Partner Management, said in an interview Friday that the network operator’s app store will be the sole marketplace on devices sold by the company, meaning stores such as the Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Marketplace will not be present out of the box.

Users will still however be able to download the app store separately, but it is not known if Microsoft will be offering the app store via a separate download. Given that Verizon’s store will be cross platform is is unlikely the user experience will be much better than Microsoft’s version.

To editorialize some – the issue appears to be that carriers and OEM’s see the application store as a revenue stream, rather than a consumer-retaining feature. It is likely the company that does an app store to sell their phones, rather than to make money on apps, will be the most successful in the end.

Via Engadget.com