Raspberry Pi’s app store is open for business & eager for developers

You’d think with the Chrome Webstore, Google Play Store, and iTunes that the world wouldn’t need another marketplace for consumable apps but here’s one with an important difference.  The creators of the small but mighty Raspberry Pi today launched the systems’ online marketplace.

Their aim for the market is to make it easier and faster for users to create and share their code.  They hope that the store will attract users of all ages and skills who will be able to learn from each other to develop the Raspberry Pi ecosystem.

Announcing the launch of the store today the organisation said, “We hope that the Pi Store will provide young people with a way to share their creations with a wider audience, and maybe to a make a little pocket money along the way; as well as offering commercial developers an easy way to get their software seen by the Raspberry Pi community.”

The app store was launched with 23 applications from developers such as LibreOffice and Asterisk and Cobra Mobile.

The app store itself operates like any other- users can create and upload their apps, which will then be moderated before being released into the ecosystem.  Users who develop apps will be able to offer them for free or for download and, according to the device’s creator, Eben Upton, the store will also operate a “tips jar” which will allow customers to pay for apps, even if they are free.

Blogging about the launch today Upton called on the Raspberry Pi community to help grow the store.  He asked the community to rate apps submitted so that valuable content is moved higher in the site’s rankings and to offer constructive criticism on new apps to the store.

The launch of the store is another impressive feat for the young organisation; which is less than a year old.

Anyone running Raspberry Pi can add the app store by going to the organisation’s website.  You can view the apps currently available on the Raspberry App Store’s website.