Microsoft Now Sells Hardware from its Windows 10 Store

Microsoft Now Sells Hardware from its Windows 10 Store

The Microsoft Store in Windows 10 was just updated with a new Devices tab by which you can buy Surface and third-party PCs, Xbox consoles, Mixed Reality headsets, and various other hardware peripherals.

I don’t see an announcement about this change, and I’m not even seeing it on all of my PCs for some reason. But this change impacts the current, shipping version of Windows 10 (version 1709). It’s not coming in a future release only.

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From what I can tell, the actual product pages are pulled directly from Microsoft’s web-based store. For example, here is the Surface Laptop page.

But the higher-level product category pages—for things like “Shop Surface & PCs,” “Shop gaming PCs,” “Accessories,” and on so, are familiar-looking but a bit more like the Store experience in Windows 10.

In any event, this is a smart change, and one that many have been clamoring for. Brad, for example, has long wondered openly why Microsoft didn’t sell its software, hardware, and services from this Store. There have been some minor changes over the past year, such as the ability to subscribe to Office 365.

And this isn’t the only change coming to the Microsoft Store in Windows 10: In the next version of the OS, version 1803, the Store is also picking up a dedicated Edge Extensions tab.

(Random update: Actually, I’m seeing Edge Extensions on one 1709 PC, but not on another. So… God knows how these things get deployed.)

 

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Conversation 19 comments

  • scottib62

    Premium Member
    24 March, 2018 - 6:54 pm

    <p>FYI, Paul I think it's been at least a couple weeks for me. Not sure about all but on at least two computers it's been there for awhile.</p>

  • Waethorn

    24 March, 2018 - 7:45 pm

    <p>I can only imagine that this will lead to Microsoft providing "suggestions" to buy a new PC when they detect yours is running too slow.</p>

    • RonH

      Premium Member
      24 March, 2018 - 11:47 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#256102"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Funny, but sad if this happens…. </p>

      • navarac

        25 March, 2018 - 8:14 am

        <blockquote><a href="#256137"><em>In reply to RonH:</em></a></blockquote><p>Believe it. It'll happen I reckon.</p>

    • curtisspendlove

      25 March, 2018 - 11:09 am

      <blockquote><a href="#256102"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>I see you’re trying to use your Dell PC…want me to help you buy a new Surface Laptop?</p>

      • Waethorn

        26 March, 2018 - 11:50 am

        <blockquote><a href="#256191"><em>In reply to curtisspendlove:</em></a></blockquote><p>No, no, and no. Unless Microsoft intends to hijack my DNS and take over a Linux system with injected ads, I won't be seeing any of that any time soon.</p>

      • Jorge Garcia

        26 March, 2018 - 8:43 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#256191"><em>In reply to curtisspendlove:</em></a></blockquote><p>Lol</p>

  • rcangus

    Premium Member
    25 March, 2018 - 2:32 am

    <p>Must be a US only thing – not seeing it here in AU – unless I am missing something</p>

    • Bart

      Premium Member
      25 March, 2018 - 3:14 am

      <blockquote><a href="#256146"><em>In reply to rcangus:</em></a></blockquote><p>Ditto for The Netherlands </p>

    • navarac

      25 March, 2018 - 8:13 am

      <blockquote><a href="#256146"><em>In reply to rcangus:</em></a></blockquote><p>Ditto UK</p>

  • nbplopes

    25 March, 2018 - 8:48 am

    <p>Not even Apple did this move. I mean, hardwiring their Apple Store with the App Store. Instead they have opted for offering an app for the Apple Store that is not even installed by default.</p><p><br></p><p>Dont know how this move improves the Windows market in anyway but anfogonizing PC shops and mega stores.</p>

  • PeteB

    25 March, 2018 - 10:36 am

    <p>I'll continue to ignore the abomination called the Windows 10 store. A bunch of overpriced, mediocre hardware being added isn't necessarily vaulting me over the fascination threshold for revisiting any time soon.</p><p><br></p><p>Had they not alienated the majority Windows userbase still on 7 and 8.1, maybe the store wouldn't be such a joke.</p>

    • warren

      25 March, 2018 - 6:10 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#256186"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I checked a few prices. All the XBox console / controller prices are the same between the MS Store and Best Buy.</p><p><br></p><p>Not that you care. You've already decided that this isn't true.</p><p><br></p>

  • johnbaxter

    25 March, 2018 - 11:11 am

    <p>Exercising the hardware aspect of the store was an "Insider" quest a few flights ago (stopping short of finalizing the purchase).</p>

  • Jorge Garcia

    25 March, 2018 - 7:14 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">It's remarkable to me how both Google and Apple REFUSE to make the one product that most NORMAL people want…yet Microsoft, the one company that NOBODY wants to make it, is more than willing to produce it, but can't due to their own software limitations (App gap). Normal people just want A LAPTOP THAT WORKS LIKE THEIR SMARTPHONE DOES. That's why MS threw out Windows RT (too little, too late, too wrong) and will someday return to that well (again, in vain) with their project Andromeda. All Google had to do was make a skin of Android that translates somewhat well into a laptop form factor, and they would have scored big. ChromeOS is a BETTER idea, mind you, but not what normal people want. They don't want to learn a new interface, and they want something that pretty much runs all the apps on their smartphone. Samsung knows this, which is why they created DeX, but so far have FAILED to release any DeX laptops or desktops, which I feel is criminal in 2018. Apple also refuses to integrate iOS into a decent laptop experience. Of course they no doubt have toyed with the idea, but they are more concerned with selling separate pieces of hardware than convergence for the consumer's benefit. I feel that an Android-based laptop is long overdue. Like Samsung, smaller outfits like Jide and Sentio have already done the hard part of "windowizing" Android, so where are the actual products that run desktop-ish Android?????????????</span></p>

    • Waethorn

      26 March, 2018 - 11:51 am

      <blockquote><a href="#256389"><em>In reply to JG1170:</em></a></blockquote><p>Face it: DeX is likely going to be a one-off product that can't be taken seriously as a decent productivity solution. This is Samsung we're talking about here.</p>

      • Jorge Garcia

        26 March, 2018 - 7:37 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#256588"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>I agree that what you say is probably going to be the case, but it's a real shame to me that I know of a large number of non-techie people who currently opt to suffer on their smartphones simply because a viable smartphone-like laptop does not exist, or is either too expensive (and still not correct) like the iPad Pro.</p>

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