14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is working to add a single store in Windows 10 that would provide access to apps on all platforms, including PCs, tablets, and phones, but it turns out that the company is looking beyond software for its new operating system.
The app store available on Windows 10 build 9926 has recently been updated with a new section that will let users download movies and TV shows. Right now, however, this feature is not working in the existing builds, but it’s very likely to be unlocked in future updates.
Obviously, Microsoft is trying to make the store the single destination for those who want fresh content on their devices running Windows 10, so in addition to apps and games, movies and TV shows were pretty much the next logical step in this series of improvements.
A rival to iTunes
Since the same store will be available across multiple devices, including phones, and it would provide access to several types of content, and not only apps and games, Microsoft is considering building a service that would resemble the iTunes Store, which now offers content similar to that delivered by iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads.
Windows 10 is already in development right now and Technical Preview builds can already be downloaded on PCs and smartphones, so many of the features we see here could change before RTM is reached.
And yet, Microsoft has already expressed its intention to bring together all of its platforms with Windows 10, so the new store is a key part of this plan that would rely entirely on universal apps capable of running on PCs, tablets, smartphones, and Xbox.
Microsoft says that this is an improvement aimed not only at users but also at developers, who now have the opportunity to tackle their customers on several platforms with just a single app.
“We have a unified store that creates a unified way for you to monetize as a developer. And we believe that’s what’s going to make us attractive for developers to write universal applications,” Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent briefing on Windows 10.
“Simply put, Windows is the best place, it’s the home for the very best Microsoft experiences. We are going to have services everywhere, but when it comes to Windows, we are not bolting on apps, we are seamlessly harmonizing our experiences.”
Windows 10 is scheduled to go live in the second half of this year, so expect more features to be introduced and unlocked as development of the new OS advances.
