Apple has changed the world with the iPhone. Developers (and users sometimes) complained there were no open APIs to build native applications. Apple noted the request and changed the world again with the App Store.
Everyone in the mobile space seems to be running now to create his own store. Google has launched its store called Market (also see a short review with some nice screenshots) and while at this time it’s all free, it is going commercial next year.
RIM has its own BlackBerry Application StoreFront.
T-Mobile, who is already benefiting from Google’s Market, is going to create its own based on Apple’s experience.
Now Orange comes with Orange Downloads.
There are probably more that haven’t announced it, or simply I haven’t heard of.
BUT, did any of these guys ever think that the great thing about Apple’s App Store is that it is one place and there’s no fragmentation? How are these guys going to cope with this? Replicating and renaming won’t solve those issues. They will all be just like the existing “Decks” or portals, simply on a pre-installed application. That will not make them win.
Andrea Trasatti's tech notes and more 