One of the first things Microsoft did when drawing up plans for Windows 8, its hybrid tablet/desktop operating system, was to include an app store that mirrored Apple's wildly successful iTunes App Store. The Windows Store is where Windows 8 users can get the "Metro-style" apps—full screen, highly touch input friendly apps that use a consistent, intuitive interface. Microsoft even detailed terms for the developers were more generous than Apple's.
Windows 8 will run all existing Windows apps in its Desktop, in addition to the new Metro-style apps we're including below, so the whole universe of Windows apps isn't represented here by a long shot. For complex pro-level apps like Adobe Photoshop, you're still going to want to run apps in the Desktop.
All the apps in the Windows Store right now are free, since the OS is in the testing phase. Once developers can start charging for their work, we'll certainly see a lot more powerful choices. As with the offerings in the Mac App Store, any app you buy in the Windows store can be installed on up to 5 other computers, and the apps are consistently updated through the Windows Store.
The OS will come with standard Metro apps created by Microsoft for everyday necessities—Mail, Calendar, People (for social networking), Messaging, Photos, SkyDrive, Reader, Music, and Video—but both small and well-known software publishers alike have already released Windows 8 Metro apps, including Autodesk, Cyberlink, and several major news publishers.
One of the most exciting things for a software review has to be checking out a new operating system, and maybe even more importantly all the new-style apps that come with it. Keep in mind that all these free apps are in early stages, so you shouldn't expect full or even flawless functionality. But many of them show a lot of promise. For a taste of what you can get from some of the better early Windows 8 apps, click through these slides.
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