T-Mobile to launch open development platform to challenge iPhone

As reported on Moconews, T-Mobile USA is planning to launch an open development platform for all of its phone platforms from upcoming Android to Java to Sidekick and Windows Mobile.

From Moconews:

Starting this fall, T-Mobile USA will take the extraordinary step of ditching its traditional deck on the phone and replacing it with a platform that's open to almost any developer, multiple sources have told us. Think of *Apple's* App store, but for the entire carrier's handset line-up from smartphone to feature phone.

While this is an obvious attempt to compete with the iPhone App store it does a lot more to encourage ecosystems to be built around platforms that are not Apple.

With Symbian having gone open source, the mobile market is getting much more interesting. There are more possibilities to bypass the carriers stronghold.