At the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona on Monday, Microsoft revealed key details of the Windows 10 app platform for the first time. The company announced that Windows 10 will now allow developers to publish web apps through its store. This could help the company bolster its selection, which still lags other app store platforms.
Developers will be able to run their apps remotely from their existing Web infrastructure without having to make any modifications. In addition, Microsoft will providing a way for these web apps to work outside the “browser sandbox” that a web app is normally contained in. A web app installed through the Store will have special permissions that other web apps lack. These permissions include the ability to access and present Windows notifications, launch a full-screen mode, and integrate with Cortana.
Related: Five reasons why the Windows Store is a complete mess
This move should drastically lower the barrier to entry for web app developers. Previously, developing for the Store meant creating a whole new Windows application, but this move will make only minimal changes necessary to gain a place in the storefront. Large organizations may also find this new approach appealing because many use web apps as part of their internal platforms, and this change could make it easier for employees to find and install appropriate software.
Microsoft’s Build conference, slated to begin on April 29 in San Francisco, will provide more answers to questions surrounding Windows 10. Until then, Gallo ends his blog post by encouraging web developers to utilize the Windows platform to create universal apps.
