It Looks Like Microsoft Will Rename Windows Store to Microsoft Store
- Paul Thurrott
- Sep 22, 2017
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Microsoft’s many online and retail store brands are confusing to consumers. And it looks like they’re finally going to take the obvious step of fixing that, at least in Windows 10.
Of course, this is Microsoft, so this could just be yet another round of A/B testing.
Anyway, as many tech blogs have reported already, Microsoft has unveiled a new name and icon for the Windows Store in the Release Preview ring of the Windows Insider program. Now, the app is called Microsoft Store—the same name as its retail and online merchandise stores—and it sports a colorful new icon that resembles a 2D shopping bag. (The previous version was a goofy angled shopping bag that was stylistically dissimilar to other Windows 10 icons.)
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Microsoft has long maintained multiple stores, and they usually have all had different names. But with Groove Music and Movies & TV pulled into Windows Store in Windows 10, and with the new Books store added as well, this store has been exceeded the bounds of “Windows” for a while: After all, much of this content works elsewhere too. (Further confusing, you can browse and buy Xbox One games from the Windows Store.)
Will Microsoft kill the Xbox Store brand as well? I hope so. This should all just be called Microsoft Store. And maybe this means we’ll see Microsoft hardware and non-Store app software products in the Windows Store now too. Sorry, I mean, in the Microsoft Store.
Which is, of course, the right name for this.
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Conversation 68 comments
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Bats
<p>Good idea to rename the Windows Store. </p><p>However, it's a terrible idea to call it the Microsoft Store.</p><p>A few things:</p><p>1) The less syllables the better. </p><p>2) The words "Microsoft Store" is already identified as the bricks and mortar establishment that one can walk into.</p><p>3) The brand "Microsoft" is a tremendously outdated brand name, synonomous for most all things, non-enjoyable. LOL…why use it? It should be rebranded something that moves away from that idea like…</p><p>4) "MS Store" pronounced "EM ES Store" or something like that.</p><p>All in all…stay away from the word "Microsoft." </p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#180883"><em>In reply to Bats:</em></a></blockquote><p>I don't agree with your interpretation of the general public's perception of MS, but in any case people will obviously know that the store belongs to MS and avoiding "Microsoft" in the name will likely have zero effect on people's willingness to use it.</p>
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skane2600
<p>Seems like a good idea because there are few Windows programs (as they've been known for decades) available in the store, so "Windows Store" is a bit misleading. The "UWP Store" would probably be a better name since those apps are the most common items in the store.</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#180893"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p>I don't dispute the dire state of UWP, but if UWP is truly dead than the Store is dead anyway and they should just close it.</p>
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skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#180897"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>It makes no sense for MS to get rid of their profitable Windows platform to enter the commodity Linux market. Canonical is privately held so no financial data on the company is available, but I'll bet their revenues are orders of magnitude lower than MS'. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>