Today Samsung launched its Application Seller website, which is basically the developer end of the Samsung Application Store. The store is still in trial mode for UK customers, but Samsung plan on a broader launch in the coming months.

Samsung phones run on tailored versions of Windows Mobile or Symbian, so developers making apps can use the Application Seller site to distribute their programs to Samsung customers. The model is similar to other handset maker app stores - Samgsung provides the platform and customers, an takes a cut of your sales in return.

While not boasting a superstar product like the iPhone or BlackBerry, Samsung have been on a tear in recent years, and are talking about a 20 per cent global market share by the end of the year. Every man and his dog have an application store these days, and it seems like a space destined to consolidate, but you can't blame Samsung for trying.

Anyway, if you're interested, here's the press release from Samsung:

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Samsung Launches Application Seller Site
In order to support worldwide application developers and content providers, Samsung will unveil Application Seller Site on July 30

Dubai, UAE, July 29, 2009 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the global leader in consumer electronics and advanced technology solutions, announced today that it will launch an application seller site (http://seller.samsungapps.com) on July 30.

The Seller Site is a bridge for developers and content providers to connect to end-users. When developers register relevant content or applications at their anticipated price on target markets, the applications are filtered through a backend system and are then promoted on the Samsung Application Store. All developers and content providers who want to promote and sell applications or content for the Symbian or Windows Mobile operating systems can sign up as members of the Samsung Application Seller Site for only one U.S. dollar.

The Samsung Application Seller Site will be an important part of the Samsung Application Store along with Samsung Mobile Innovator, a support program for developers, and the application store itself.
 
Kanghyun Kwon, Vice President of Samsung's Content Service Team, Media Solution Center, said: "We launched a Samsung Application Store beta service in January in the UK and have been collaborating with developers and content providers through Samsung Mobile Innovator, a developer program for Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Java from October, 2008. With the launch of Samsung's Application Seller Site, we can complete the total eco-system for better, easier, and more exciting mobile experiences ranging from compelling mobile phones to content and applications. We are aiming to achieve a win-win business model for end-users, mobile operators, and industry influencers, such as developers and content providers."

A member of the Seller Site will be able to purchase a sales contract online and check the certification status in real-time. The site provides essential statistics such as sales records, revenue, and popularity of the content to end-users. Billing and payment is also handled online.

Samsung plans to launch and expand an official Application Store in Europe during 3Q of this year.


(Photo: The new Samsung Jet smartphone, courtesy Centimetrecube