On-Device Application Stores: Palm Follows Suit

Palm has announced a new on-deck marketplace for mobile applications. This involves a partnership with app distributor PocketGear that lets it hit the ground running with 5,000 applications (about 1,000 are free). It has also received new submissions from about 1,500 application developers.

Named Software Store, it will join Apple’s App Store, Google Android’s “Market” and the soon-to-be-launched BlackBerry Application Center. The advantage it holds over all of the above is the volume of devices it will initially apply to, including Windows Mobile and Palm OS powered devices.