Windows 8 Apps in 2014: Preview of Windows Store's Growth

3 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

updated on October 4, 2023

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The year of 2013 is coming to an end and it’s time to recapitulate what has happened for Windows 8 users in terms of apps and where the Windows Store is headed for in 2014. We’re also taking a look back at what we have done here on Wind8apps and what will be our mission for the future

Whoa, it’s been quite a ride so far! I remember now the day when I first started the blog, back in October, 2012. Back then I was sure that Windows 8 had a bright future ahead and that more and more people will start looking for reliable Windows 8 apps to download from the Windows Store. Sure, we can’t compared it to Apple’s iOS App Store, nor to Google’s rebranded Play Store, but Windows Store has a bright future ahead and if you have a Windows 8 tablet, then you should join us for this interesting ride.

Like I was saying, the very first post on this website had been published on the date of October 23, which was just three days before Windows 8 was officially announced. This year, on October 26, Windows 8 has turned only 1, and at this moment, it’s going to face a lot of challenges for the upcoming year. The battle against iOS and Android apps is perhaps the most important one. For that, Microsoft needs the support of developers and OEMs together.

As we are ready to step into 2014, right now, according to multiple third-party services, the Windows Store has approximately 142,000 app available for download. The majority of these apps, obviously, have been submitted this year. The problem still lies in the fact that there are many spam apps that are plaguing the Windows Store and the absence of important ones isn’t helping, as well.

How does 2014 looks like for Windows 8 apps

2014 is going to be an year of important changes and breakthroughs for Windows 8 users. At the moment, the market share of the latest Windows operating system is almost ridiculous, but this will change thanks to two important factors: the increase in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 tablet ownership and the growth of the available apps.

Two major turning points will be the Consumers Electronics Show and the Mobile World Congress from Barcelona where many OEMs will showcase more Windows 8 tablets that will definitely seem appealing for users. We’ve already shared with you some cheap Windows 8 tablets to get under $400, a price that has been made available by the release of Intel’s low-power Haswell chips.

So, my estimate is this – at the end of 2014, there are going to be more than 400, 000 apps available in the Windows Store, and in the most optimistic case, I see even half a million titles being submitted. Now, the problem is this – let’s hope that many will be important, and not spam, low-quality apps. 2014 will bring many new exciting apps for Windows 8 users, and we are inviting you to join us as we will discover them together. Here’s a list of some articles that we liked the most in 2013 here, on Wind8apps:

Best Windows 8 apps in 2013

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.