Microsoft released a redesigned version of the Microsoft Store with Windows 11 and this revamp eventually made its way to Windows 10 as well. Now, it looks like the company is looking to upgrade the web portal experience. Even though Microsoft hasn't officially confirmed a design revamp yet, an updated storefront has now been spotted online.
The "generally available" version of the Microsoft Store is nested inside microsoft.com, but it seems like the firm is also working on an updated version over at apps.microsoft.com. This was spotted by @FireCubeStudios on Twitter, courtesy of @SapphirePublic.
The new page is titled "Windows Apps Preview", which is in line with the naming convention of the current experience which is dubbed "Windows Apps" and doesn't include the "Preview" text, obviously. The updated page serves the same goal of offering an online portal that you can use to explore content when you don't have access to a device that has the Microsoft Store installed.
The design language of the Windows Apps Preview is closer to Windows 11 with all the new minimalist icons and rounded corners. It isn't quite as flashy as the actual Microsoft Store app and doesn't have dark mode either, but then again, it's in preview. There are some other aesthetics missing too, so it doesn't line up exactly with the current Microsoft Store experience but the intent is clear. The core functionality, including reviews, ratings, app descriptions, and an install button is all there.
What's rather interesting at this stage is that portal only offers apps, no games, movies, or TV shows. Clicking on the dedicated option for either of these categories in the drop-down takes you to the generally available web portal on microsoft.com. That said, a notable improvement spotted by Windows Central in this iteration is that the unpackaged Win32 apps are listed too. It's likely that Microsoft will further polish and expand this experience in the coming weeks and months before formally announcing it.
_small.jpg)
19 Comments - Add comment