Though only released - and even then in a limited fashion - Wednesday, the Windows Store is burgeoning with Metro-style apps for Windows 8.
At last count, the number had reached 450, and while that's still far below the 500,000 found in Apple's store, it's not too shabby for an OS only 24 hours old.
Metro-style, for those who don't know, are apps developed from the ground up using Microsoft's WinRT programming interfaces.
So far, most of the apps appear to fall into consumer-focused and games categories.
Microsoft's been making efforts over the last few months to recruit a wide swath of developers and is hosting a conference in October where its expected to provide further guidance on creating apps for its newest OS.
The store's open
Microsoft also announced the Windows Store is now officially open to qualifying businesses looking to sell their apps. All a business needs to do is have its account registered and verified by Microsoft.
Because most developers won't be able to create Windows 8 apps until August 15, when the system will likely be available to most of them, Microsoft is encouraging developers to build apps in their Release Preview, which the company opened up in May.
Individuals looking to submit apps will have to wait for guidance on how they can do so as Microsoft has not yet come up with a plan for non-businesses.
Ditching "Metro"
It was also announced Thursday that Microsoft has started telling developers to refrain from attaching the word "Metro" to their apps and documentation if they refer to the Windows Phone or Windows 8.
Instead, developers are being urged to use "New User Interface" to describe Microsoft's unified design.
The change may be related to a dispute with a German company over Metro naming.
A rep from Microsoft said "Metro" has been a code name throughout the development process of it's products and the company plans to switch to a broader consumer name when products - like Windows 8 - publicly launch.
In September 2011, Microsoft said only Metro-style apps would be available at the Windows Store.
