Surprise! RIM is announcing an App Store for its BlackBerry phones. After Apple's success with the App Store all other mobile OS platforms copy Apple's strategy to make it easy for users to find, buy and install apps on their phones.

Research In Motion (RIM) today announced two major distribution initiatives for BlackBerry smartphone applications at the BlackBerry Developer Conference.
A new online application storefront and a new on-device application center will help application developers and carriers reach millions of BlackBerry smartphone users worldwide and will provide consumers with greater choice, enhanced application discovery and an easy method for managing installation, upgrades, and purchases.
RIM plans to launch the application storefront in March 2009 and BlackBerry application developers can begin submitting their applications and content for inclusion in the storefront in December 2008. The storefront will allow developers to set their own prices for applications and developers will retain 80 percent of the revenue generated from their applications. RIM is working with PayPal, a leading global online payment service, to provide consumers with a convenient and trusted way to pay for applications within the new application storefront, right from their BlackBerry smartphone. Organizations that have deployed BlackBerry Enterprise Server or BlackBerry Professional Software will retain control of what applications can be downloaded to BlackBerry smartphones within their corporate deployments.
Via this RIM announcement.