Windows 8 Store Review

Windows 8 Store Review

With the advent of Windows 8, young Windows 8 apps have begun to spring up in every category ranging from Entertainment to Sports to Education. The number of apps in the Windows 8 App Store is only a fraction of what you would see in the Apple and Android stores. There are well over 1,000,000 apps between Android and Apple Markets. The Windows Store has about 1,000. The Windows 8 store is less than that.

The success of the launch of Windows 8 will largely depend on if there are any good Windows 8 games and apps for users to enjoy.

Pro:

The store is the first to have a main, desktop computer attached to it. You can reach Android and Apple Markets through an internet browser, but you can't use these apps with the desktop operating system (OS). With Windows 8, however, the store can be accessed through the OS and has games that are enjoyed on the OS, like Wordament. This means Windows 8 games will dominate the gaming world.

In addition, there is a strict design standard and rigorous submission process before an app can be published. This means clean, top-tier apps for Windows 8 users. It also unifies the apps across the board which makes learning a new app more intuitive.

Con:

By the same token, it is hard for companies to get their apps in the store which may prove to be a barrier to entry. Barriers for great apps can lower the value of the store thus lowering the value of Windows.

Windows 8 programs are typically written in C#. This language is not as easy to learn than say PHP or C++. This is another barrier for app developers.

Summary:

The good news for Windows 8 app developers is that this is their chance to stand out among relatively few competitors. The bad news for them is that each app will be under tough scrutiny. Windows 8 is definitely worth having. The top apps  are already in the store. The main question is what does Windows 8 offer that is different than what we already have? Don't quote All Things Apps, but I would say that cheaper tablets are about to be everywhere.

Note: There will soon be a hefty market for Windows 8 App Developers. Many companies will want their app on the OS but won't have the in-house know-how for the job.

-Sean