Apple has thrown open the virtual doors of an "App Store" brimming with independently created mini-programs promising to make iPhones even more coveted.

The online shop's opening comes as iPhone 3G makes its international debut in a launch expected to boost Apple's fortunes along with its share of the booming "smart phone" market.

When Apple chief executive Steve Jobs in March announced plans for an App Store stocked with programs crafted by third-party developers he expected 100 programs available by opening day.

The shop, accessible through Apple's online iTunes store, opened with five times that many mini-programs. More than 125 of the applications are free.

Mini-applications include games, photo-sharing and mobile versions of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and eBay.

"Facebook is even cooler on the iPhone 3G, with the ability to discover friends nearby, or to effortlessly take pictures and upload them instantly to Facebook," said the social-networking website's founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Game makers are capitalizing on touch-screen and motion-sensing technology in iPhones.

"The touch and tilt controls are natural and easy to learn, making gaming even more inviting, creative and rewarding," said Sega product development vice president David Cobb.

A version of the Japanese company's "Super Monkey Ball" tailored for iPhones is in the App Store.

"Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch open up the world of games to an entirely new audience," Cobb said.

Applications crafted for iPhones will also work on iPod Touch models, which are basically iPhones without the telephone capabilities, according to Jobs.

Brian Greenstone, president of computer game maker Pangea Software, called the iPhone platform "truly ground-breaking."

Software creators are allowed to set their own prices, as long as figures end with 99 cents. Apple keeps 30 percent of sales prices to pay for operating the store.

Apple senior vice president of worldwide product marketing Philip Schiller said the iPhone "represents a new software platform for developers, combining the most advanced mobile operating system, sophisticated developer tools and a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly sell and distribute their applications."

Apple released an iPhone kit to outside developers in March in an effort to make the hot devices even more popular and wrest market share from smart phone market powerhouse BlackBerry.

The kit lets programmers customize programs for the touch-screen mobile devices combining telephone, video, music, and Internet connectivity.

Apple vets software creations before making them available exclusively the App Store.

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