Windows 8 Metro Apps Restricted To Microsoft's Own Store

From the Build developer conference last week, we learned that Microsoft intends to mimic Apple, charging a 30 percent cut on Windows 8 apps designed for its Metro UI. However, some additional details have come out today that reveal Microsoft could be even more restrictive by not allowing Metro apps to be sold outside of its own app market, which will be called the "Windows Store."

Microsoft skirted discussions on the business aspects of its upcoming app store, but did release a primer for its download market that revealed the 30 percent cut on sales for Windows 8 apps designed for the Metro UI. However, when we first reported this last week, it wasn't clear that these apps couldn't also be sold outside of the Windows app store, similar to what developers can do with Apple's Mac App Store.

But reports now claim that Ted Dworkin, a Microsoft director who led one of the sessions at Build, made it clear during the presentation that the only distribution channel for Windows 8 Metro apps was through Microsoft. This strategy may be to model the more curated experience of the Mac App Store to ensure quality apps and prevent malware.

Supposedly, conventional apps developed for Microsoft's traditional Windows interface will not face this same cut on sales and restriction on distribution. However, it's still early on and Dworkin has said that Microsoft does not plan to reveal their final store polices and terms until they are ready for app submissions.

[via PC World]