There’s obviously still no matching the user base of Apple’s iTunes, but other companies have already taken the cue and opened their own “App Stores” for their devices. Nokia, for instance, fairly recently opened the Ovi Store and is enjoying a measure of success. Sony, already with 33 million PlayStation Network (PSN) users, is likely to be next.
Sony’s new store will also sell e-books and mobile apps, aside from the games, movies, add-ons, and TV episodes already offered on the PSN. There have been rumors that the new store would be named “Sony Online Service,” although Sony hasn’t committed to a name yet. (Besides, the resulting acronym sounds a little goofy.)
Sony also hasn’t committed to a release date, which means everything is speculation at this point. What Sony has divulged is that the store would have a social networking twist to it, letting users save, share, and upload digital content. There may also be a “What are your friends watching now?” feature, too.
With Sony’s worldwide reach, it would be interesting to see just how well a new store would do. As long as it doesn’t cannibalize PSN and instead enhance user experience, it should pose a genuine threat to Apple’s iTunes down the line.
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