Windows 7 Phone App Store in Development with Mango

Microsoft have announced that they are in the process of developing a web-based Windows 7 Phone app store, following on from the success of similar Apple and Google stores. The release of the store is expected to be this Autumn, in time for the release of Microsoft's new smartphone operating system, Mango.

The look and feel of the store should be similar Apple and Google's stores, allowing users to browse a catalog of apps, read reviews, see screenshots and view the details. Furthermore Microsoft plan to incorporate a new discovery feature, which will allow users to show off their favourite apps to friends, family as well as social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Currently Google's Android store holds 200,000 apps, Apple's iPhone at 500,000, Microsoft are estimated to include a mere 16,000 apps. Microsoft has reassured that the small selection will emphasise quality not quantity.