Google unveiled on Thursday its plans for a store where mobile users can find Android applications, a concept similar to the iPhone’s App Store.

The first handsets running Android, expected to appear later this year, will include a beta version of the Android Market, Google’s Eric Chu wrote in a blog post. Initially, users will at least be able to find free applications there. After that, Google expects to update the Market to allow users to buy and download paid content.

The Market will feature a feedback and rating system similar to that used in YouTube, Chu said.

Developers can add their applications to the market by registering as a merchant, uploading the content, and publishing it. Google expects to add features for developers after the initial launch, including a dashboard where developers can find analytics information about their content. Developers will also be able to upload different versions of their applications that might work better on different devices.

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