Even though Bluetooth file transfer and GTalk won’t be included in the first version of the Android OS, hopeful first-users of the anticipated OS still have a lot to look forward to and one of those features is the Android Market.
It’s the Open Handset Alliance’s response to the App Store which will be built in such a way that it’ll benefit both the consumer and the developer as well. Users will be able to browse and buy applications on the fly, and they can likewise rate and give feedback to the developer on the performance of the software. Google, obviously, will host the store, and based on the screenshots, it looks very promising.
The Android Market is now a beta version and will initially offer free apps only. Future versions will include paid apps, version management, multiple device profiles as well as full analytic data for developers.
With the inclusion of so many developer-friendly features, I wonder how much Google will charge them to host their apps in the Market? Provided that Android becomes a success in the first couple of months and if the price is right, we might see a herd of developers switching from the iPhone/iPod Touch platform to the Android OS sometime soon.
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