App stores are all the rage these days. Pretty much every major mobile phone platform has an app store, as well as some third party app marketplaces. And there’s a growing push to bring the model to desktop operating systems. Apple recently launched a Mac App Store, Intel launched the AppUp Center for Windows oftware, and Microsoft is expected to include an app store in its next-generation operating system.

Now some folks at CNBeta have posted what appear to be the first screenshots of the Windows 8 App Store, taken from an early build of the operating system.

Interestingly, the app store appears to be called the “Windows App Store,” which means there’s a pretty good chance that Apple will file a trademark claim against Microsoft if the company doesn’t change the name before launching the OS.

The Windows App Store looks like it’s tightly integrated into the operating system. In fact, the toolbars, sidebars, and other options make the whole thing look a lot like Windows Explorer, the operating system’s file browser. But there are the usual goodies including icons, descriptions, and charts showing the top apps.

Part of the appeal of Windows computers has historically been that you don’t need an app store, since most software you can find in physical stores, or on web sites is written for Windows and you can download and install pretty much anything you like. That’s what’s possible when your operating system dominates the competition.

But App Stores have turned out to be successful because the make the process of finding, purchasing, and managing apps so simple. Features like customer reviews and ratings, automatic updates, and the sense that someone might have looked over the app before it was added to the system to check for malware make the app store model attractive for consumers. Companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft also typically benefit by taking a cut of revenue from app store sales.

Of course, Linux distributions have been providing a sort of app store for ages. The repository system has long made finding and installing apps relatively simple in popular Linux-based operating system such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and OpenSUSE. But Linux package managers have historically been a bit on the geekier side, and don’t include user ratings or infrastructure for selling paid apps.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to the addition of an app store to Windows?

Update: There’s reason to suspect that the screenshots may be doctored images of a new Chinese app store… but that doesn’t mean Microsoft isn’t working on an App Store for Windows 8.

via Download Squad and WinRumors

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14 replies on “Windows 8 to feature an integrated App Store”

  1. mm windows 8, so in what year will be available in the 2050?
    but at least now you would now the origin of the spy’s that infested your computer

    1. uh. . . I don’t get viruses. . . I guess if you aren’t an idiot and setup your Win computer correctly you won’t have a problem.

      IE6. . . only idiots are still using it. No one should be supporting it either.

      Monopolizing. . . yeah, isn’t that what every major company is trying to do these days–they all suck!

      Ballmer. . . . oh come on now, he’s free entertainment.

      At least they give us a choice. Better them than Apple!

  2. That is the only way to cure the Windows virus and worm and botnet problem. You need to be able to tell the computer “don’t run any program that isn’t from the Microsoft market.” However, that doesn’t mean they need to be copycats.

    It is one thing to see them copy App Store, which was universally reviled by Apple’s competiton for years now, but at least come up with your own name. Apple has always called them “apps” (the filename extension of Mac apps is even “.app”) but Microsoft has always called them “programs” or “executables.” The fact that they suddenly want to call them apps when that has been made into a hot word by Apple is sad! But even in that case, call it “App Marketplace” because Microsoft’s online store was already called “Marketplace” and because YOU HAVE THE INTEGRITY NOT TO WANT TO CONFUSE CONSUMERS who have been watching ads for App Store for years now, probably 5 years by the time Windows 8 ships. The idea that you can not only copy Apple, but even copy their names … it is sad to see so little creativity.

    And the little faceless people are copied from BE, and the Windows 95 interface was copied from NeXT.

    SAD.

    1. Your argument is ridiculous. That’s like saying we shouldn’t be calling cars cars because one company and/or person coined the term first.

      So apple should never have used the term software, programs, executables?

      Sometimes a company comes up with something that is rather obvious and that’s why patents and trademarks aren’t given for obvious things. The fact that you have a problem with this term says much more about you than MS.

      Yeah, let’s let companies trademark everything. No one is going to be confused between Apple’s app store, Amazon’s app store for Android, Microsoft’s app store for Windows, etc.

      App has become synonymous with “software program” and store. . . well, that’s been around a while. So, why is Apple stealing the term “store?”

      Ridiculous isn’t it?

    2. Learn your history before posting ignorant comments.

      MS+IBM had OS/2 interface which win95 inherited BEFORE NextStep even existed. All of these companies have stolen from others or each other. 95% of ALL Google properties are tiny startups they bought over the years. And the app store idea exists since the 90s when sites like SourceForge, download.com and Tucows existed before iPhone was on the drawing board. Just because some corporations package existing ideas in some other form, doesnt mean its something new. Its accepted as innovation from fanboys and n00bs like you

  3. I’m am really elated for Microsoft to finally bring an app store to Windows, but the UI for it needs a little more help, even though it’s an early build, I hope they have a better UI, but overall very very excited for the app store, look out Apple Microsoft is hitting the charts with Windows 8. P.S. Did you guys know that “Windows 8″ was the most typed in keyword this past 3 months?” That’s amazing.

  4. “Windows 8 to feature an integrated App Store”

    Good news, but not unexpected, even linux is getting in the game with Project Bretzn.

  5. As long as I’m able to install form other places. If MS tries to lock me in like Apple to one app store. . . they can kiss my a$$!

Comments are closed.