On June 24, Microsoft unveiled Windows 11, also known as Sun Valley internally, with a new look for desktop and native apps.
In addition to the new sophisticated interface, another major announcement was made around the Microsoft Store. Microsoft is redesigning the App Store on Windows 11 and Windows 11, and adding support for features like Amazon Appstore, desktop programs, Microsoft Edge extensions, and more.
Windows 11 preview 22000.51 is now available for beta testing and includes support for the all-new Microsoft Store. The store has been completely redesigned and some full-fledged desktop apps like OBS Studio, Canva, and Zoom are now available for download.
It looks like Microsoft is also planning to improve Store algorithms to show quality apps in search results and the catalog. For end users, the search results will rank more quality apps instead of low quality guides or products as shown in the screenshot below.
Likewise, the quality of the Store catalog will be “considerably improved†in the coming months, according to at Microsoft.
It’s not yet clear how Microsoft plans to improve the consumer experience, but it’s possible the company is using app-quality signals to ensure higher-quality apps are highlighted. Deceptive guide apps will be removed or these apps will be ranked lower.
The new design of the Microsoft Store
As you can see in the images above and below, Microsoft has completely redesigned the Store. The interface is now optimized for content and the scrolling / navigation is now more responsive, thanks to the new WinUI scroll bar. Here’s a look at the new Store features.
Microsoft is also working on a new feature called “Storiesâ€. As the name suggests, the Stories feature can be used to display rich edit content on the Store home page to keep users informed of new features.
According to Panos Panay, Microsoft wants the Store to be the place for all your favorite apps, and the company hopes to integrate other stores like the Amazon Appstore into its own store platform.
For those who prefer to download apps through web browsers, Microsoft is also introducing a new pop-up store. This will appear when you click on a Microsoft Store badge on a webpage and help you install the app without requiring you to open the store.
In addition to the consumer-centric improvements, Microsoft is also introducing new development policies for the Store. For example, developers can publish any app to the Store, regardless of the technology of the framework. As a result, apps like OBS and Canva are now available in the Store.
Likewise, developers can now use their own or third-party e-commerce platform and avoid sharing the profits with Microsoft.
According to the company, this new app store will arrive on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs later this year.
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