Microsoft is opening up its Microsoft Store to third-party storefront apps from companies including Amazon and Epic Games.
In a blog post, Microsoft Store GM Giorgio Sardo called it a “significant update.”
“Just like any other app, third-party storefront apps will have a product detail page that can be found via search or by browsing – so that users can easily find and install it with the same confidence as any other app in the Microsoft Store on Windows,” Sardo wrote. He said “we look forward to welcoming other stores as well in the future.”
The news builds on Microsoft’s strategic moves to attract app developers to its platforms. It previously announced it is working with Amazon and Intel to allow Android apps to run on Windows 11. Users will find them via the Microsoft Store and install them via the Amazon Appstore.
The changes are part of a broader refresh of the Microsoft Store, including support for more types of apps, a new revenue-sharing option for app developers, editorial content, and more. The new Microsoft Store will launch alongside Windows 11 on Oct. 5, and launch on Windows 10 in the coming months.
“Our commitment to being an ‘open Store for an open platform’ isn’t just about the various technical underpinnings of how apps are built. It’s also about making sure our business terms are fair and help promote innovation,” Sardo noted in today’s blog post. “For instance, the Microsoft Store on Windows no longer requires app developers to share revenue with Microsoft, when apps manage their own in-app payment systems.”
Microsoft will release Windows 11 on Oct. 5 as a free upgrade for existing Windows 10 machines, and pre-installed on new computers. Microsoft will use what it calls a “phased and measured approach” that assesses a PC’s specs to determine when Windows Update will offer the upgrade.
Announcing more steps to open the @MicrosoftStore on #Windows to all developers – including other stores and browsers. Welcome to our new partners. We look forward to continuing this journey with app developers. https://t.co/B0eNGWp6c5 pic.twitter.com/foYs0FpL4I
— Giorgio Sardo (@gisardo) September 28, 2021
