Microsoft has rebranded the Windows Phone Marketplace, giving its online app store a new look and a new name the Windows Phone Store.
Changes haven't yet been rolled out to devices, but Microsoft's relaunched web version boasts a host of new discovery features such as a 'Spotlight' area for featured apps, improved app searches powered by Bing and new categories for sorting apps.
Specifics
For instance, the existing 'Top' category has been split into 'Top Free' and 'Top Paid', and the 'New' category has been changed to 'New + Rising'.
A new 'Best Rated' category will allow customers to sort apps by customer rating and usage patterns, too.
The 'News' tab is a slightly more novel discovery feature, letting customers see at a glance what the press is saying about Windows Phone handsets, or what review scores have been awarded to the latest Windows Phone games.
Steamy
Microsoft has also moved to make sexual content "a little less prominent."
The firm claims it will still carry so called "racier" apps that meet its certification criteria - such apps remaining in search results - but overall said apps are set to be less visible.
Meanwhile, for overtly offensive apps, Microsoft has introduced a mechanism for reporting apps.
A 'Report Concern' button lets users flag up apps that are offensive, suffer technical problems or do not work as advertised.
Finally, along with the name, the Store's logo has also been changed, aligning the Windows Phone brand strongly with Windows 8 and its offerings.
[source: Microsoft]
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