Nokia's latest smartphone, the N900, has received a firmware update that gives access to applications and content on the company's Ovi Store.

The N900 is Nokia’s competitor to the iPhone and Android-based devices, but thus far has lacked an online app store to gain access to popular third-party software, including games.

Ovi Store access is still considered "beta" by Nokia, and users access it through the N900’s Web browser interface.

The firmware (version 1.2009.44-1) update is installed over-the-air by the N900.

Mobile app stores are becoming increasingly popular with Apple claiming 100,000 applications in its store and Google’s Android some 20,000. The Ovi Store launched mid-2009 with some 20,000 applications.

In addition to Ovi Store access, more than 30 software packages were installed on the N900 with the update, including those for the Linux kernel, theme settings, application icons and data communication.

Other improvements with the update relate to overall software performance and presentation.

The N900 runs the Linux-based Maemo operating system which has its own ecosystem of third-party applications, but it does not include as many commercial apps as the Ovi Store.

A release date for the N900 into the Australian market has yet to be announced by Nokia, other than “sometime in the second quarter of 2010”.