Nokia became the latest mobile player to launch into the increasingly crowded app store market at the GSMA Mobile World Congress yesterday but has sought to differentiate itself from longer-established rivals by playing up how users can personalise their shopping in its new Ovi Store. The vendor’s new online shop and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Marketplace, the other major application store announced at the show yesterday, are both attempting to make up the lead held by the successful Apple App Store, Android Market and the imminent initiative from Research In Motion.

Nokia says the applications and content sold in its store will vary according to user preferences, their geographic location and the recommendations from friends. “Ovi Store is not just about applications. It also knows you and adds a social location aspect to the shop. It’s a smart shop,” said Niklas Savander, Nokia’s executive vice-president. Nokia hopes to leverage millions of its existing users as potential visitors to the new store. Those with phones that run the company’s S40 or S60 OS can enter the Ovi Store from May this year. In June, the latest version of its flagship N97 will be the first Nokia phone sold with Ovi Store pre-integrated on it. From later this month, developers and content providers will be able to upload potential applications and services for the new store. Among the higher profile content providers already on board include Shazam, Facebook, Friendster, Electronic Arts, Fox, MySpace and Lonely Planet.