
02/24/2025
Microsoft to launch web-based mobile app store in July
At the Bloomberg Technology Summit, Microsoft’s President of Xbox, Sarah Bond, declared that the company is set to launch its new mobile store this July. This long-discussed move aims to establish an alternative to dominant marketplaces like the App Store and Play Store.
Unlike traditional approaches, Microsoft plans to roll out its mobile game store via the web, rather than as a native application. This strategy allows the company to circumvent restrictive app store policies and make the platform available globally across all devices, including both Android and iOS systems.
Microsoft’s launch is set to include popular titles such as “Candy Crush” and “Minecraft,” with initial offerings centred around Microsoft’s first-party portfolio. The company has plans to later extend access to third-party developers.
The decision to start with a web-based store is designed to leverage the advantage of universal accessibility despite the varying global regulations on app distribution.
iOS users in the EU now have sideloading capabilities due to local regulations forcing Apple to allow third-party app stores, but this is not the case worldwide. Microsoft’s web-based approach thus provides a strategic workaround to these limitations.