Jobs: App Store launching with 500 iPhone applications, 25% free

Steve Jobs told USA Today that the Apple App Store will launch with "more than 500" applications Thursday night for the iPhone and iPodtouch. Of these, 25% will be free and 90% (of those for sale) will cost $9.99 or less. "This is the biggest launch of my career," said Jobs,adding, "When IBM introduced the PC, it was good, but it didn't takeoff until people started discovering the software." It's these apps then, that Steve says will "dramatically differentiates the iPhone"from Treos and BlackBerrys. Indeed, while consumers are focused on the launch of the iPhone 3G device, it's the App Store which has analysts in such a tizzy.