With the arrival of Windows 8, and later with Windows 10, Microsoft wanted to imitate Android, iOS and macOS by launching its own application store. This store, in theory, was going to become a simple and safe place to find all kinds of programs and games for the PC. These programs stood out for being compiled in UWP format, Microsoft’s new universal format. However, although the idea is not bad, and Microsoft had high hopes for its store, it has never become relevant to users. Up to now.
There are many problems that the Windows application store has had to face. One of the most serious was the lack of developers , which also translates into a lack of users. If there are no programs, users do not bother to stop by the store. And, if this store is not interesting for users, the developers do not want to invest time and money in bringing their programs there. Well, there has been a group of developers who have brought their applications to this store: hackers .
Microsoft is constantly making changes to its store. For example, the company has removed entire categories from the store, made cosmetic changes to make it easier and faster to navigate, and simplified the application packaging process, allowing developers to convert in just a couple of minutes. clicks, your programs in UWP applications.
Now, with Sun Valley in mind, Microsoft has exciting new plans for this store.
Microsoft Store: a much more accessible and complete store
According to a leaked report, Microsoft is working to implement a complete new design for the store shortly. This design goes through a new user interface , WinUI, as well as iconography and new fluid animations.
But Microsoft knows that this is not enough for users to trust this store again. For this reason, we are also going to see fundamental changes in application submission policies . Among other things, one of the novelties that we will be able to see very soon is the arrival of Win32 applications without packaging. Any developer can upload their own programs as is, in EXE format , to distribute them through the store. New systems are also being prepared to update the programs without depending on the store, and to allow the use of third-party trading platforms.
When will the changes arrive in the Windows 10 Store
At the moment, the only thing that has been seen regarding this radical change in the store is nothing more than a report. Therefore, we do not know if it will come true, nor, if it does, when it will come. These changes will most likely be announced at Microsoft’s Build 2021 conference, and the new store could be ready for the Windows 10 21H2 release , “Sun Valley.”
The first company to set an example, if these changes are met, will be Microsoft itself, who will bring its own applications (Teams, Office, Edge and Visual Studio) to this store. And, with this, he hopes that other developers will be encouraged to do the same.
It seems that, at last, we will see Chrome in the Windows 10 store.