Another day, another branded app store enters the market … This time it’s Motorola (NYSE: MOT), though the news has leaked before the company expected it to. No details on when the tentatively-branded SHOP4APPS Android store will go live, but it will be accessible via a handset’s browser, a mobile client or Motorola Media Link (MML), and give users access to their full download history, notifications about app updates, easy transfer of stored apps to new handsets, and of course, purchasing ability.
Dedicated Android blog Android and Me found the store, posted screenshots and specs, and even tried to download the client to a Cliq. Since its a web-based site, it was accessible via desktop — but Motorola quickly pulled the plug.
The ability to transfer apps from one handset to another will be a definite plus — and perhaps make Motorola-branded Android phones more attractive to consumers than HTC’s. Meanwhile, Motorola helps address developer concerns about marketplace fragmentation and the difficulty of new app-discovery, by offering users access to a variety of apps in one place, regardless of the version of Android their particular handset is running. (Hat tip to ME for first spotting Android and Me’s post).

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