Windows 8 has ONLY 2000 apps? – yes and so what?

2,188 Windows Store applications available internationally, with 1,593 of those available in the U.S., according to Directions on Microsoft Vice President of Research Wes Miller. Wes started a blog called Winappupdate where he keeps the web current on Windows 8 apps and app counts. My response to the early critics is – so what? The frikkin Operating System hasn’t even been released to the general public yet! Microsoft’s comment on the issue:

As the number of apps in the Store continues to grow each day, we cannot say specifically how many apps are available at any given time. We anticipate the availability of apps to grow significantly now that we have opened up the commerce platform with RTM, as well as once Windows 8 is generally available.

I think that’s the right answer. Windows 8 will have a lot more apps when it is launched and developers realize:

1. This isn’t going away soon
2. Smaller app count + large install base = potential opportunity (more on that in a separate post).

Now, if the app count isn’t substantially higher by next summer (2013), Redmond will have a problem. For now, absolutely nothing to see here.  ]]>