Windows Phone Store Now Home to 145,000 Apps and Games
Microsoft continues to flesh out is Windows Phone Store with new apps, though momentum has slowed a bit in recent months. Mentioned as an aside in announcing the Nokia Lumia 928 for Verizon, the Redmond outfit revealed that there are now 145,000 apps and games in the Windows Phone Store, which is about 25,000 more than it had in October.
Most of the big names are present and accounted for, including Pandora, Facebook, YouTube (a recent addition), Hulu Plus, Netflix, Skype, and several others, though the Windows Phone platform still has a long way to go before it catches up with the likes of iOS (over 800,000 apps) and Google Play (over 700,000 apps).
Microsoft will, for the time being, point out that it's not about the sheer quantity, but quality of apps. Most of the popular apps available on iOS and Android are also available on Windows phone, and if you're making the switch from Android, Microsoft built a tool (Switch to Windows Phone) that will scan your apps to check if they're available in the Windows Phone Store.
This is an important time for Microsoft as it tries to generate interest in its mobile platform. And in addition to competing with Apple and Google, there's BlackBerry to contend with, who's BlackBerry 10 software can emulate Android apps.
Most of the big names are present and accounted for, including Pandora, Facebook, YouTube (a recent addition), Hulu Plus, Netflix, Skype, and several others, though the Windows Phone platform still has a long way to go before it catches up with the likes of iOS (over 800,000 apps) and Google Play (over 700,000 apps).
Microsoft will, for the time being, point out that it's not about the sheer quantity, but quality of apps. Most of the popular apps available on iOS and Android are also available on Windows phone, and if you're making the switch from Android, Microsoft built a tool (Switch to Windows Phone) that will scan your apps to check if they're available in the Windows Phone Store.
This is an important time for Microsoft as it tries to generate interest in its mobile platform. And in addition to competing with Apple and Google, there's BlackBerry to contend with, who's BlackBerry 10 software can emulate Android apps.
