∞ Windows App Store screenshots leaked

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It’s hard to keep secrets these days. The design of Microsoft’s new Windows App Store is the latest project to be leaked on the Web.

[ad#Google Adsense 300x250 in story]TechCrunch posted supposed screenshots of the company’s Windows App Store that leaked onto the Web. The screenshots are not verified, but if they are real, it certainly shows some more copying of Apple.

It may also explain why Microsoft is fighting Apple so hard to make sure the term “App Store” remains generic.

That legal battle has reached the point that both companies have hired linguists. As you might imagine, Apple’s linguist says App Store is a proper noun and deserved to be trademarked. Microsoft’s linguist says it’s a generic term.

Here is a screenshot of the Windows App Store.


  • obiwandreas

    Of course you can’t trademark “App Store!” That would be like trademarking something like “Windows” or “Office” or…

    • http://twitter.com/markrlangston Mark Langston

      ZING!!! I don’t mean to gush but that’s probably the most genius thing I’ve ever heard as it relates to this argument.

      Let’s not forget that Microsoft trademarked the word…wait for it…Word!!! You can’t release a word processing program and call it Word. Microsoft also owns Explorer and Outlook too. I say if Microsoft can get away with something as common as Word then Apple should be allowed to trademark App Store.

      For the love of gobstoppers I hope someone from Apple realizes this and will/has mentioned this in the lawsuit.

  • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

    God damn, can’t they come up with even a simple layout of their own on a commerce site? It’s like the annoying kid in school who decides he’ll parrot everything you say for an entire hour.

    • http://twitter.com/scottaw scott

      Except it’s for several decades…

    • Anonymous

      Well, it kind of says a lot about Apple’s ability to figure out the best way to do things, and it being a futile effort to come up with something better. :)

      • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

        We’ll never know.

      • http://twitter.com/jongardner1989 JonathanGardner

        Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery….

      • http://twitter.com/jongardner1989 JonathanGardner

        Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery….

  • http://www.powerwatchers.com/ Dean Lewis

    It’s like Apple’s …….. but fuglier.

  • http://www.smiley-dread.com Ian

    What’s sad is how long it took them to even think about creating an application marketplace. On the other hand I’m glad that Apple was first. Just knowing that the App Store keeps tracks of my purchases and lets me re-download free of charge is a godsend. That’s a feature I’ll be looking for on Windows. I am almost looking forward to the next time I will have to reinstall Windows — just thinking about how much time I could save trying to track down which programs were installed makes me squeal. :)

  • Player_16

    ‘That legal battle has reached the point that both companies have hired linguists.’
    That should read … ‘cunning linguists’.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ken-Cochran/580773257 Ken Cochran

    There’s not much to say here. Windows has been falling behind the flow of innovation, and lately they have been just making horrible copies of everything. Either they invent something crazy that consumers realize they absolutely need to make their lives easier or they will fail. That may seem impossible, but just look at the last 2-5 years, and this is NOT helping.

    • http://profiles.google.com/staraffinity Martin Bergström

      I agree for the most part, but I still think some parts of window management is better in Windows.

      You can control many things from the keyboard such as Windows(key)+ arrow down to minimize, Windows+arrow up to maximise, Windows+shift+-arrow up to ”strech” the window to use all vertical space (top to bottom of the screen), Windows+arrow right to make the window take up 50% of the left screen space, etc.

      But I guess that’s why they call it WIndows, it’s good with windows. :)

  • Nhillery1

    Tell ‘em App Store is taken, but “Crap Store” is available – and a better match!

    Seriously, we never used the term “app store” until apple invented it. I don’t think we even used “app”. Apple wins this, unless Microsoft finds a way to buy a judgement.

    • Crashnoww

      hahahahahahahahaha that’s a genius statement….

  • http://twitter.com/CAD4MAC Matthew Jackson 

    it’s like a long lost twin of the Apple App Store

  • Laserheart

    These screenshots are a joke, right?

    It’s like they took the App Store, and just replaced the icons and text with Windows applications.

    They couldn’t even have the decency to at least move some objects from the left side to the right side of the screen – like they did with the maximize and close buttons on Windows.

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/E56NECVZQSIT4KFSA22PTMYDWI BCtheDJ

    .

    Po’ Microsoft – the Fake Boobies of the Digital Age

    Yes, they might look good and appear real

    But don’t be fooled …

    Once you get them in action ?

    Well, even if I’m not able to put my hands on this

    Or if you can’t get the feel for the idea

    Bet you can grasp what I’m talking about

    (smile)

    .

  • http://twitter.com/Brad_Strickland Brad_Strickland

    Wow! Thats impressive. Its great to see Microsoft invent something so innovative and not just rip another companies idea off… Hey! Wait a min…. ;)

  • Anonymous

    I suppose like so many others, they are totally immune to embarrassment.

  • Anonymous

    Mr Ballmer, your fifteen minutes are up.