Opera Software, maker of the Opera mobile browser, today announced the launch of the new apps storefront, the Opera Mobile Store, at mobilestore.opera.com.

The storefront is a featured "Speed Dial link" in the Opera Mini and Opera Mobile browsers. The store was built and delivered through a strategic partnership with Appia, provider of open application marketplace technology.

The Opera Mobile Store offers both free and paid applications for most mobile platforms (Java, Symbian, BlackBerry, Android, Palm). According to a press release, the new store is available to Opera users and users of other mobile browsers in more than 200 countries.

"The launch of the Opera Mobile Store supports Opera's core belief in an open, cross-platform mobile Internet experience by providing Opera users with an integrated storefront of mobile applications," said Mahi de Silva, executive vice president of consumer mobile for Opera Software, in a statement.

To support the Opera Mobile Store, Opera Software has also launched the Opera Publisher Portal, providing developers with a way to get their applications onto the Opera Mobile Store.