RIM Launches BlackBerry App World in SA

Users Able to Easily Discover and Download a Wide Range of Free Applications Directly From Their BlackBerry Smartphone

Research In Motion announces that BlackBerry App World™ is now available to BlackBerry® smartphone users in South Africa.* The on-device application store brings together a broad mix of free personal and business applications for South African customers to discover.

Users can download the BlackBerry App World application to their BlackBerry smartphone by visiting www.blackberry.com/za/appworld  from their handset.

BlackBerry App World is designed to automatically present the relevant catalog of applications available for a user’s specific BlackBerry smartphone model and it can be conveniently accessed over both Wi-Fi® and cellular networks.

BlackBerry App World features:

•    Front Page Carousel – BlackBerry App World showcases several applications on its front page carousel, making it easy for users to browse through a select number of featured applications. Featured applications will vary from time to time, helping users discover new applications for practically every aspect of life.
•    Top Downloads – The “Top Downloads” area on BlackBerry App World lists applications that are the most downloaded.
•    Categories – BlackBerry App World features a variety of application categories. Categories include games, entertainment, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more.
•    Search/Filter – BlackBerry App World includes a keyword search with filtering capabilities.
•    Reviews – Applications on BlackBerry App World can be reviewed by users and those reviews are reflected in star ratings. Users can easily access and read reviews, see screenshots and read a description of each application before they download it.
•    Recommend – BlackBerry App World users can recommend applications to other people through email, PIN, SMS message or BlackBerry® Messenger.
•    Application Storage – BlackBerry App World includes a folder called My World, which keeps track of applications the user has downloaded. It is a personal storage space that allows users to uninstall and re-install applications.
•    Application Archiving: users can archive applications to a microSD card or built-in storage memory on their BlackBerry smartphone.
•    Update Notifications: Users are notified of updates to applications they’ve downloaded on BlackBerry App World.

“BlackBerry App World lets you personalize your BlackBerry smartphone with a wide range of applications that let you do more with your time while you’re on the go,” says Deon Liebenberg, Regional Director for sub Sahara Africa at RIM. “Consumers in South Africa can now easily discover and download a wide variety of free BlackBerry applications directly from their smartphone.”