Microsoft (MSFT) has come a long way from its Windows Phone days when the Microsoft Store’s YouTube app was just a hyperlink to the streaming platform’s website. Back in June, when Microsoft came out with news of Windows 11, the company mentioned it was working on bringing Android apps to the PC ecosystem.
Well, that functionality has come sooner than we thought as the Microsoft Store’s new policies allow for third-party app stores to be built into its own platform. This will see the Amazon (AMZN) app store and Epic Games Store coming in the next few months, with more to follow. With Windows already being the main platform for PC gaming and most businesses, a streamlined app experience where everything is available through one store makes Microsoft an app developer’s dreamscape, compared to other app stores where third-party functionality is limited.
Why it matters
At a time when app developers are on bad terms with Apple (APPL), due to the Mac-maker preventing third-party functionality for in-app payments, Microsoft’s ‘all are welcome’ approach positions it as the developer-friendly alternative.
