Microsoft launches universal app store for Windows 10 [Update: Actually, it's not the unified store...]

The launch of Windows 10 is as much about creating a unified Windows experience and a new ecosystem as anything else. Windows 10 for desktops/laptops and for Windows Phone are closely linked and Microsoft wanted to make life easier for developers and users alike when it comes to apps.

To this end the company has launched a web version of its app store, merging the previous Windows Store and Windows Phone Store into one repository. Pay a visit to the online store and it is now possible to browse through the selection of Windows apps and Windows Phone apps in one place. Update: Microsoft contacted BetaNews with more information; see more at the end of the article.

Visually, little has changed from before -- the tile-based interface is exactly what you would expect. The store is now a one-stop-shop for everything Windows 10 related, and the front page is used to highlight some of the most popular apps for both platforms. The everything-under-one-roof approach is something that people have been asking for for some time, and Microsoft has finally delivered.

At the moment, the universal store is only home to Windows 10 and Windows Phone apps, but the presence of an Xbox link suggests that the range will be expanded in the near future. Check out the store for yourself and see what you think.

Update:

Despite our intial excitement, it seems that all is not as it seems. Microsoft has contacted us to clarify what the new web store actually is. A Microsoft spokesperson said:

The Apps on Windows site lets you browse both Windows and Windows Phone apps, but is not the new unified Windows Store. We’ll share more on the Windows Store soon.