Nokia opens up Download Store

Nokia has finally flung open the doors to its Download Store after months of pontificating, and the results are…underwhelming.

The Store was supposed to be Nokia’s answer to Apple’s AppStore for Finn-branded phones, where developers could put together some decent applications and get paid for their work, with Nokia coining in the cash and getting decent software to boot.

However, everything is currently in ‘Try for Free’ mode, and according to the chaps at The Register, this simply incurs a premium rate text message to buy the application rather than getting a free trial.

Nok-ia down prices?

Let’s pretend for a moment the Store is on target and the apps that come for free are an indication of what the future holds.

Some decent bits and pieces are in there, such as weather updaters and a 3D Sudoko game, but nothing that really sets the world on fire, especially when most of these things can be found as freeware on the net already.

The scope is there for some really decent options, such as improvements Nokia wants to make to the phone but doesn't want to spend time developing for free. We'd like to see some kind of real-time Bluetooth radar, but that might be a little too invasive. Would be cool, though.

No word on when the Download Store will be properly up and running (i.e. with prices and some decent applications) but at least Nokia is trying to compete.