Samsung, the world’s second-largest handset vendor, is to officially launch its applications store at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, reports Information Week. The report says that the store will be compatible with the vendor’s Symbian- and Windows Mobile-based devices and will initially be available in the UK, offering some 1,100 applications at launch. It is expected to be rolled-out to other markets and to other mobile platforms soon after. To stimulate interest in the developer community, Samsung has launched what it calls a ‘Mobile Innovator’ website, which offers tools, technical content and support for developers. However, it is not yet known how payments for commercial apps will be processed or what the revenue share for developers will be.

Samsung’s store will be the latest in a long line of similar application storefronts launched by handset vendors and technology providers, including Apple’s pioneering ‘App Store,’ Research In Motion’s ‘BlackBerry Application Center,’ Google’s ‘Android Market’ and Microsoft’s ‘SkyMarket.’ The Microsoft store is also expected to be officially launched in Barcelona. The stores allow mobile users to browse, purchase, download and install applications over-the-air.