BlackBerry paid apps in SA, App World 2.0 released
Along with a new version of BlackBerry App World – which comes with a slew of new features – South Africans have also gained access to paid apps.
If you haven’t upgraded to App World 2.0 yet you may still see paid apps, but you’ll only be able to buy them if you have a PayPal account.
Additional payment methods
One of the new features announced for App World 2.0 are new payment options that include major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa and American Express.
BlackBerry have also announced that they have begun rolling out the ability to pay for applications directly through a cellular operator in the US. From the sounds of it, it will work similarly to the service Nokia has made available in South Africa.
Other than more payment methods, BlackBerry also said that App World 2.0 has easier application discovery features, BlackBerry ID and vendor updates.
New application discovery features
New tabbed sections for lists of applications mean 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. BlackBerry App World will find the related application and automatically open the application’s information and download page.
BlackBerry ID
BlackBerry ID is a new user identification system that can be used with BlackBerry App World. With BlackBerry ID, which is device independent, users can simply enter their password to access their personal library of both free and purchased apps through the My World folder within BlackBerry App World 2.0.
BlackBerry ID can also (optionally) keep an encrypted record of the user’s billing information, including all credit card, PayPal and carrier account information, and allow the user to simply enter their BlackBerry ID password and select their payment preference when purchasing a new app.
Vendor updates
A series of new features for vendors include the addition of a Vendor Credit System, credit history visibility, credit promo codes, change request management, the ability to override application and vendor names, and application language management features to include all languages supported by BlackBerry.
BlackBerry says we should also start noticing apps coming in at a price of US$0.99 (±R7.30) as developers start listing their apps at the new lowest pricing tier.
The newest version of BlackBerry App World is available from www.blackberry.com/appworld and mobile.blackberry.com. According to BlackBerry, App World users will receive an upgrade notification on their BlackBerry App World icon.
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