Sony Takes on the iPhone App Store

It's looking more and more like Sony is aiming for a bit of the market share controlled by Apple and its iPhone/iPod Touch. The upcoming PSPgo can't play UMDs, meaning its games will rely on wi-fi connections and the PlayStation Store. And recent news has shown that Sony looks to be expanding the range of things to download from the Store beyond games and videos to music and comics.

In this report about their exclusive chat with Sony about its PSP development strategy, Michael French of Develop reveals that Sony is planning to open up development for the PSP to smaller studios and emerging markets:

This latest move will see Sony take a step closer to addressing the march that Apple has stolen on its handheld platform with the iPhone, that lets developers sell pretty much whatever they want (pending Apple's approval) via the App Store.

Sony's new plan will make new kinds of games and non-game applications available for download from a special, branded, section of the PlayStation Store. Smaller studios will be able to participate due to a drastic reduction in the price of the PSP development kit.

While I wonder how effectively Sony will be able to challenge Apple, I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes of this move. It's just possible that the PSP may emerge as the leader in inexpensive downloadable games, given its game-oriented controls (compared to the awkwardness of the iPhone/iTouch touchscreen in some game types). Assuming the developers involved make good games. (Source: Develop, via PSP Updates.)