Google announces its own app store

INTERNET ENABLED GIANT Google is taking the marketplace idea it uses for Android apps and extending it for the rest of its online apps portfolio.

The search giant has teamed with over 50 other companies to launch the Google Apps Marketplace, which allows administrators to access a host of cloud based applications for deployment to their domains.

Obtaining applications from the storefront is pretty much the same process as getting something from the Android Marketplace. You just click on the 'add it now' button, agree to the vendor's terms of service and grant access to the data that the app is requesting, if any, and then you're good to go. With this third step in mind, Google warns that you should only grant access to those apps that you trust.

Google explained that those creating apps for the Marketplace will do so using open protocols both in terms of development and authorisation for billing and access.

This approach will help ensure interoperability and easy data sharing between different third party apps and Google's own offerings like Gmail, Calendar and Contacts.

The Marketplace is initially open to users of Google Apps Premier, Standard and Education Editions and more details about developing and providing apps for the it can be found on Google's App Developer and Code blogs. µ