Users will find software that interests them easier

Sep 13, 2012 11:01 GMT  ·  By

The Windows Phone Marketplace is no more, as the new Windows Phone Store has arrived to deliver software to the owners of handsets running under Microsoft's mobile operating system.

The renamed portal comes with a variety of enhancements packed inside, meant to provide users with a much better experience than before.

Among them, we can count smarter app lists, which were actually needed, considering the fact that there are over 100,000 applications already available for download through the portal.

“One of the challenges of owning a smartphone is finding worthwhile apps and games when there are more than 100,000 apps to choose from,” Microsoft’s Mazhar Mohammed notes in a blog post.

“If you’re anything like me, you probably rely heavily on Marketplace’s sorting and browsing options—New, Free, and Top.”

The newly launched online Windows Phone Store makes these labels clearer than before, while also expanding the browsing options for users, so that they can find apps easier than before.

While available only for the web Store at the moment, these changes are expected to reach on the upcoming Windows Phone 8 handsets as well.

“In the Store, for example, you’ll now see Top Free and Top Paid. The renamed and improved New+Rising list is not only refreshed more frequently, but takes into consideration how quickly an app is being downloaded,” Mohammed explains.

“A new addition to the lineup—Best Rated—ranks apps based on customer ratings and actual usage patterns for a more nuanced picture of what’s great.”

There is also a Spotlight area in the Windows Phone Store, which was meant to offer a mosaic of recently-published apps that have been selected by Microsoft’s in-house experts.

In addition to these changes, the Windows Phone Store also features a friendlier look, achieved through making apps with inappropriate content less visible, Microsoft notes.

Apps that will attract more Windows Phone users will also be included in the Store, while racier apps will be made a little less visible, although they will still emerge in search results.

“By popular request, we’re also adding a mechanism for reporting apps that concern you. We work hard to ensure quality and peace of mind, testing all apps thoroughly before accepting them,” Mazhar Mohammed continues.

“But we’re not perfect and want you to let us know if you encounter an app or game that you find offensive, has technical problems, or doesn’t work as advertised. Just tell us using the new ‘Report concern’ link located on every app’s download page.”

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