Windows 8 may not be commercially available for several months but more and more companies have already pledged to release apps that will support the OS"s Metro interface. The latest such development comes from Renren, the Chinese social networking service that is often called the "Facebook of China".
The company made the announcement late on Friday during the Mobile World Congress trade show. The company claims the app, titled Renren HD, is the first such third party social networking app that Microsoft selected for Windows 8 and the Windows Store. Renren said:
Customized for Windows 8, which focuses on integration with social networks and optimized for tablet usage, Renren HD has adopted features such as tiled Metro-style user interfaces and creative content delivery, resulting in a significantly enhanced user experience.
Renren currently has 137 million active users in China. It is also the largest one in that country that only allows for real world names.
You may remember that a few weeks ago, Apple announced that its Mountain Lion update to OS X would include better support for Chinese users. This includes integrated support for a number of Chinese social networking services like Sina Weibo, Youku and Tudou. However, Renren wasn"t mentioned in Apple"s Mountain Lion update plans. The announcement that Renren will be a part of Windows 8 sent its stock price up several percentage points.