Facebook to launch app store

Facebook will launch a new hub for its users to find social apps "in the coming weeks," the social media site said.

The "App Center"will give the site's users a central location to access both free and paid apps,Facebook's Aaron Brady wrote in a post on the company's developer blog.

The world's largest online social network has more than 900 million users worldwide.

The store is not meant to be a direct competitorto Apple or Google.

"The App Center is designed to grow mobile apps that use Facebook whether theyre on [Apple's] iOS, [Google's]Android or the mobile web,"Brady wrote. "From the mobile App Center, users can browse apps that are compatible with their device, and if a mobile app requires installation, they will be sent to download the app from the App Store or Google Play."

For the first time, developers will have the option to offer paid apps that require a flat fee to use. Previously, developers had made moneyfrom "in-app" purchasesfor instance, by unlocking features in games.

Brady said anapp'sappearance on the newpage will bedetermined through user ratings and how many people are using the app.