PocketGamer.biz notes that Nokia – the world’s largest handset vendor – is the latest high-profile name to be linked to the launch of an applications store. The publication, citing other sources, suggests the strategy behind the store isn’t finalised yet but an announcement could come as soon as Nokia’s press conference next Monday at the GSMA Mobile World Congress. Analyst group CCS Insight supports such a theory: in a preview report of next week’s event, it states that “although Nokia has had an application store (Download) for many years, we expect it to relaunch the service, supported by a large number of developers and a substantial library of applications.”

Last week Mobile Business Briefing reported that Samsung, the world’s second-largest handset vendor, is to officially launch its applications store at the Mobile World Congress. Samsung’s store is already 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 rumoured ‘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.