Microsoft Decides to Rebrand the Store in Windows 10

Richard Hay, Senior Content Producer

September 22, 2017

3 Min Read
Microsoft store home screen

Microsoft has multiple stores across their ecosystem.

There is the Windows Store that is part of Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 where you can get apps in all kinds of categories and genres. This store is available on multiple platforms such as HoloLens, PC, Mobile, Surface Hub, and Xbox One.

On the companies gaming console there is a version of the Xbox Store where you can get apps and games that are just for the console but you can not shop for apps to just download to your other devices. Current pre-release builds of the console's dashboard includes a change to the store that allows you to purchase hardware such as consoles and controllers. They even offered the Xbox One X Project Scorpio console for pre-order through a prerelease build of the Store. This feature is expected to be part of the console's Fall Creators Update which is expected sometime in the next month or so.

Note: There has been no test of a name change for the store on the Xbox One but they are still in development of the next feature update so it is something I am keeping an eye out for over the next few weeks.

Then of course there are the brick and mortar Microsoft Store's in cities across the globe that give you a place to actually walk in and purchase computers, consoles, accessories, physical software/games, and digital versions as well if that is your preference. Don't forget the online version of the Microsoft Store which is a companion site for those who are not near a physical Microsoft Store.

With today's widely reported news that a rebranding is showing up for some Windows 10 users of the store logo and name on their devices it would appear Microsoft is looking to bring all these similar variations under one roof. Imagine being able to access any version of the Microsoft Store on any platform and do your shopping for all of the products offered by Microsoft across these resources.

Convenience is the name of the game and this makes a lot of sense as you look at all the elements coming together across Windows 10 platforms.

The rebranding begins with the name - Microsoft Store - this aligns with the physical stores and opens up the opportunity to make the full inventory of the stores available through the store app on Windows 10. I expect it would look very similar to the hardware side of the store on the Xbox One that is being tested right now.

The next element is the logo branding and the return of a little color to what has otherwise been a flat white icon since the release of Windows 10:

 

These two elements come together when you see a shortcut to the store on Windows 10:

Windows Store Live Tile

Microsoft Store Live Tile

Currently I am only seeing this change from Windows Store to Microsoft Store on Windows 10 Version 1703 in the Release Preview Ring. This is the ring that early app updates are released to ahead of their general availability to Windows 10 users.

Are you seeing the change on your system? If so, what do you think of the rebranding?

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About the Author

Richard Hay

Senior Content Producer, IT Pro Today (Informa Tech)

I served for 29 plus years in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in November 2011. My work background in the Navy was telecommunications related so my hobby of computers fit well with what I did for the Navy. I consider myself a tech geek and enjoy most things in that arena.

My first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then I used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and WindowsObserver.com is the result of the work I have done on that site since 1995.

In January 2010 my community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when I received my first Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for the Windows Operating System. Since then I have been renewed as a Microsoft MVP each subsequent year since that initial award. I am also a member of the inaugural group of Windows Insider MVPs which began in 2016.

I previously hosted the Observed Tech PODCAST for 10 years and 317 episodes and now host a new podcast called Faith, Tech, and Space. 

I began contributing to Penton Technology websites in January 2015 and in April 2017 I was hired as the Senior Content Producer for Penton Technology which is now Informa Tech. In that role, I contribute to ITPro Today and cover operating systems, enterprise technology, and productivity.

https://twitter.com/winobs

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