Update: BlackBerry has been in touch to say O2 is still confirming whether it’s part of the Telefonica tie-up, but that Vodafone is bringing app billing to the UK ‘later this year’.
RIM and Telefonica have just come clean on a new tie-up, which will see punters using the Spanish giants’ networks able to pay for apps from BlackBerry App World as part of their monthly bill, rather than up front.
The deal means apps from BlackBerry App World, including in-app purchases, don’t need to cost you anything when you first grab them. US network AT&T already allows Android Market fanatics to stick their app purchases on their bills.
“Integrated carrier billing will make it easier than ever for Telefonica customers to purchase apps for their BlackBerry smartphones,” according to RIM’s Paul Spence. We’re checking with BlackBerry to see if Telefonica-owned O2 will be part of this BlackBerry App World hook-up and will bring you news as soon as we get it.
