Late to – but not quite out of – the app store game, Microsoft has a challenger after all: Images have surfaced of the Windows 8 App Store, the company’s challenger to Apple’s Mac app emporium.
Microsoft’s decision to use the phrase “App Store” is predictable, given its insistence that Apple’s “App Store” trademark is too generic, or is written too small, or whatever spitwads they’re flinging at Cupertino this week, but it’s also a bold one. Apple hasn’t been shy about enforcing its trademark, going after Amazon for its Appstore and even a little-known /”Adult App Store” in the pursuit of total control over the phrase.
Some have been quick to point out the similarities between Microsoft’s interface and that of their most direct competitors, Apple and Ubuntu, but there are really only so many ways to lay out a dedicated app store. What also stands out about the design is how seamlessly the Windows App Store blends into Windows itself. At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for just another system folder.
While we’ll hold our breath until we see full details about the store’s features and functionality, these screens should be more than enough to tide over any Windows enthusiasts eagerly awaiting a centralised app market. [ZDNet]