Now Microsoft are creeping up!

Windows' next OS, Windows 8, is planning to integrate a Windows App store, similar to that on the Apple Mac.  It is said that the future of the PC is beginning to look more and more like a smart phone and this certainly reflects that, and a question also posed is if Microsoft will join the rapidly growing tablet market, or if they will focus on their other markets.

http://informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/232300120

The Microsoft App store will try to be more open and offer a wider range of apps in an attempt to better Apple, but the money made by app developers may be slightly less through the Windows store.  Windows 8 will offer app developers 70% of the revenue, the same as other major competitors Apple, google and Android, but only up until it reaches $25,000 where it will be increased to 80%.  It is said that around 75% of these developers have earned below this threshold, so although the offer seems generous in comparison to the competitors, it is clearly well thought-out.

The app store world is, like everything else, developing very rapidly and so far other competitors have done very well at entrance to this market, but is there room for one more success story? Microsoft have been a very successful company, but Apple are very different to them.  Microsoft has very much always, in my memory, been targeted as affordable, everyday computing, simple, for everyone.  Whereas Apple have very much placed themselves at the higher end of the market- higher prices, better quality, a luxury and it is uncertain whether this will ever change with Apple doing so well.  

In business it is so easy for reputations to fall, but very hard for them to rise.  Windows seem to have improved since their slight failure with Windows Vista, an OS that many people did not like and often opted to backdate if possible and use the older XP OS.  Windows 7 restored a lot of people's faith in them and this may be more greatly reflected in sales of the new Windows8 software.  

In general, I personally cannot see Microsoft becoming what Apple is, but this is not to say that the Windows 8 app store and OS will be unsuccessful, it still can be, but there will surely always be a preference for high quality, fashionable Apple?