Microsoft to open Windows 8 app store

Application developers able to sell Windows 8 desktop and web applications through a dedicated online application store

Application developers writing programs for Windows 8 will be able to sell their offerings on a dedicated Microsoft application store to be opened when the new operating system finally ships.

The announcement was made at Microsoft's BUILD conference, taking place today in Anaheim, California.

"The new store will be for people running Windows 8 looking specifically for Windows 8 Metro-style applications," said Windows distinguished engineer Aleš Holeček.

By Metro-style, Microsoft means that the store is partitioned into themed groups such as Education, Finance, Games, Lifestyle and Social.

"There will also be a curated section called SpotLight in which we'll point up Windows 8 applications we think deserve attention and which users will find interesting," added Holeček.

This is the latest move by Microsoft to compete with Apple and Android.

Microsoft has already announced that Windows 8 will be a touch-based operating system, which will compete with the Apple iOS and Android operating systems.

Holeček demonstrated the page for uploading Windows 8 apps at the BUILD conference.

That page had security, technical compliance, content compliance, signing (with certificates) and publishing stages, which means that it will be possible to process an app and release it on the app store within a day of submission.