Microsoft: Promote Universal Apps

I had some downtime yesterday and decided to browse the Windows 8 Store. After poking around Featured, Top Free, New & Rising, and a couple other categories, I took at look at the three tabs across the top of the screen; Top Charts, Categories & Collections. I was surprised, and disappointed, to not see a a Universal Apps Category or Collection. It’s no secret that I am a Microsoft guy, true and blue. And Universal Apps; apps that are available and sync across both Windows 8.x and Windows Phone, are the future of the platform.

I know Microsoft is all about attracting users from other platforms, promoting the most popular games and most requested apps (even if said users never use those most requested apps). But Universal Apps convey the pure power of the most prolific operating system on the planet. Sure, other platforms have apps that will run on phones and tablets. And sort of even on web browsing laptops. But running and seamlessly syncing an app on both a 512K Lumia 520 and an i7-4th Gen PC makes Windows special.

I go out of my way to seek out Universal Apps, and don’t hesitate to tap the “Buy” button, even if I may only seldom use them. My way of showing support for those developers who believe in the Windows ecosystem. Recent additions, like Wunderlist, work seamlessly. While old favorites, including, Package Tracker, Hurricane Tracker, Weave, Text Now and Team Viewer continue to impress.

Rather than relying on a chance article promoting a new Universal App, I would prefer to see Universal App sections in both the Windows 8 and Window Phone stores, making it easier to find these gems hidden in the haystack. Wouldn’t hurt to promote the category either. One ecosystem. One Windows. You get the picture.