I am not sure how we missed it but RIM has finally officially announced the App World 2.0 beta. We kind of assumed we could mention it since everybody and their brother received an invite but its good to get some confirmation. Even at their media event where they showed it off to us they did not release any official press information about the upcoming launch though they did cover some features in a blog post.
Now we have the official announcement that BlackBerry App World 2.0 is open for beta testing in the US and Canada. The new version supports new payment options, includes enhanced discovery and search features, and introduces a new user identification system called BlackBerry(R) ID.
You can see the official verbiage below in the press release or just download App World 2.0 at www.blackberry.com/beta
RIM Announces BlackBerry App World Updates
New BlackBerry App World Features to be Available for Beta Testing in the United States and Canada This Week
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 29, 2010) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced updates to BlackBerry App World(TM), the official application store for BlackBerry(R) smartphones. BlackBerry App World provides BlackBerry smartphone customers with an intuitive, integrated service for discovering, downloading, recommending and managing mobile applications for personal or business use. BlackBerry App World now supports new payment options, includes enhanced discovery and search features, and introduces a new user identification system called BlackBerry(R) ID.
New Payment Options
BlackBerry App World will support new payment options in addition to PayPal. Customers will be able to purchase applications using major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, in various countries around the world. RIM is also working on integrated billing with various carriers to enable BlackBerry App World purchases to be applied directly to the customer’s monthly bill from those carriers.(i)
Easier Application Discovery
BlackBerry App World adds new tabbed sections for various lists of applications. Users can horizontally swipe or scroll to quickly view the Top 25 Free Apps, Top 25 Paid Apps and Top 25 Themes, as well as lists of Newest Apps and Recently Updated Apps.
QR barcode scanning is also supported, allowing users to scan a QR code associated with an application from anywhere – the web, print ads, brochures, etc. BlackBerry App World will quickly find the related application and automatically open the application’s information and download page.
BlackBerry ID
BlackBerry ID provides customers with a device-independent user identification (ID) used with BlackBerry App World. It enables new payment options, including credit cards and integrated carrier billing(i), and allows customers to seamlessly transfer their personal library of free and purchased apps when they switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone.
"BlackBerry App World continues to grow with a rich catalog of personal and business oriented applications that further enhance the BlackBerry smartphone experience," said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platform at Research In Motion. "The new features in BlackBerry App World make it even easier for customers to find, purchase and maintain applications for their BlackBerry smartphone."
Nearly 30 million BlackBerry smartphone users have downloaded BlackBerry App World and an average of over one million applications are being downloaded each day. Available in more than 65 countries, BlackBerry App World allows users to discover, download, recommend and manage the applications that help them get the most out of life while on the go.
The newest version of BlackBerry App World is available for beta preview to customers in the United States and Canada from BlackBerry(R) Beta Zone (www.blackberry.com/beta).
(i)Availability of integrated billing with specific carriers to be announced at later dates. Requires a carrier post-paid service plan.
