AT&T Launching Rival App Store With 11 Other Carriers

AT&T and at least 11 other carriers from around the world have announced that they will create an App Store that competes with Apple’s App store. The combined audience from all these carriers is around 2 Billion. Phone manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson are also part of this alliance. The announcement is expected to take place at today’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This is good news for consumers, since now they will get a chance to experience an app store without having to use an iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry.

I do think this is a step forward for App Stores to be on multiple devices. This is a good thing for the iPhone and Google Android because now there is finally some competition to these App Stores, so Apple and Google will try to make their app stores better than this alliance. Also, some people want to develop mobile applications, but don’t want to pay $99 for it to be released on the iPhone, or they’ve had problems with the iPhone App Store in the past with Apple accepting applications. This alliance now opens up the playing field for those who want to make mobile Apps, but not for the iPhone.

As far as AT&T goes, I don’t get them. First, they ban Apple from accepting Apps that hogged up too much 3G for iPhone users, then they establish an app store that will be on more devices? This is a little confusing to me, and a little bit hypocritical of AT&T. Although, this could be a warning sign that AT&T could lose exclusivity with the iPhone, and now making an App Store for all their devices so they can keep getting new customers who want an App Store. But seriously, AT&T: If you’re going to compete with the phone that has 47% of your smartphone marketshare, shouldn’t you at least do it after you lose the exclusivity?

What are you thoughts? Is AT&T trying to send a message to the iPhone that AT&T isn’t alive because of the iPhone, or are they doing this because they know eventually they will lose exclusivity? Comments are welcome.