Most of the largest app stores now also offer users the ability to browse, purchase and install apps on their phone from their desktop. The Apple App Store for iPhone & iPad (view applications only), BlackBerry App World, Google Android Market and Nokia Ovi Store all offer web storefronts. So does Microsoft’s Windows 6.5 Marketplace, but this store will soon stop getting new content. But Microsoft’s new flagship Windows Phone 7 Marketplace does not offer a web storefront, though it is available from Windows desktops with the Zune client.
This is about to change: Microsoft has announced the upcoming launch of a Windows Phone 7 web storefront. This store will launch along the new Mango OS later this year.
Just as on the phone, customers will be able to browse the full catalog, view screenshots, read application details and reviews and choose from all of the supported languages for that app. There will also be more placement areas in which to provide featured apps with extra visibility and merchandising possibilities. Customers will be able to share their favorite apps by making recommendations through Facebook or Twitter.
The storefront offers over-the-air downloading of apps, where consumers can select an app from the web storefront that will be automatically transferred to their phone. Their store will also offer a download history to make it easier to reinstall apps (when changing phones, for example) and parental controls. We’ll let you know when this web version of Windows Phone 7 Marketplace 7 gets available.
Vincent Hoogsteder