Microsoft has announced further details of its planned Windows Store, which will offer apps for the upcoming Windows 8 operating system. At an event in San Francisco, the company described the app policies and business terms for the store, both of which are now published on its Dev Center. It also announced the First Apps contest for developers and confirmed that a set of developers has been invited to submit the first apps for inclusion in a beta version of the store. The company said it will offer developers 70 percent of the revenue from apps sold on the store, increasing to 80 percent once the app passes cumulative sales of USD 25,000. They will also be available to promote the apps on their own sites and through the Internet Explorer web browser. Microsoft said the store will be available in a number of languages for 231 markets worldwide, offering free and paid apps. The app certification kit and SDK are currently available with the download of the Windows 8 Developer Preview. Windows 8, Microsoft's first OS supporting ARM-based chips and also designed for tablets, is expected to launch early next year.
