I posted on App Stores and marketplaces in November to raise awareness amongst UK ISVs of what I think will be a game changer in how consumers and businesses purchase applications for Windows in the future.
Since then the Windows 8 team has been busy explaining how the Windows 8 App Store will work and have created a new blog – Windows Store for developers. The Windows 8 App Store will be available when the Windows 8 Beta is released in February, which means now is a great time to start exploring the opportunity.
In brief:
- Global
- Available in more than 200 markets worldwide
- Available in 100 different languages
- Local pricing in over 70 markets
- Purchaser friendly
- Provide trial versions of applications with support for in-place trial upgrade
- Will include free apps
- Designed for discovery (minimal chrome, search, categories, ranking, curation)
- Seller friendly
- Apps will be automatically registered in Search Engines with direct linking to app pages
- 70% revenue rising to 80% after an app has sold > $25,000
- Simple markup addition to site to promote the app (details)
- Allows third-party transactions (See supporting in-app purchases)
- Allows third-party ads
- App submission from 41 markets
- Enterprise friendly
- Execute a local store where selective apps would be able for the whole network
- Restrict access to store to certain users
- Deploy Metro style apps without going via the store
This is an exciting time to be a company that creates software products. Gartner estimate 400 million x86 machines will ship inthe next 12 months which represents a lot of eye balls looking at the Windows Store! February just can not come quick enough!
Screenshots
Chrome free store:
Global and tailored reach:
ESRI Line of Business App for Insurance companies:
Related Links
- Windows Store for developers blog
- MSDN Windows Dev Center – Selling Apps
- Dec 6th preview video of The Windows Store
- Windows Azure Application Marketplace
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Claire
January 11, 2012
The UI looks really nice, and I like that trial versions are available for purchasers (wish App Store offered the same). However, I’m surprised that MSFT is taking the same 30% of profits for sales under 25k as Apple does–would have figured they’d want to differentiate themselves a bit on that.
ericnel
January 11, 2012
Trial and in-place update is very nice to have. As for 30% …” no comment “