Windows 8: beta version and Windows Store available in February

Microsoft has announced that the beta version of Windows 8 will be available in late February 2012, at the same time as the opening of the Windows Store for Metro style applications.

It is now more than just a rumour, with Microsoft confirming that the beta version of their Windows 8 operating system to be made available in late February 2012. The software giant has also indicated that the preliminary version of Windows 8 (Windows 8 Developer Preview) has been downloaded more than 3 million times since being made available in September.

The beta version of Windows 8 will also be synonymous with the beta release of the Windows Store, with this being the applications shop for Metro style programs – Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s App Store for their iOS devices and Google’s Chrome Web Store.

All Windows Store applications for Windows 8 beta will initially be available for free. A registration fee of $49 is required for individual developers, and $99 for enterprises that want to post their developments on the portal. For commercial applications, generated revenue will be shared 70% for the developer and 30% for Microsoft.

Such sharing is certainly in vogue with Apple (for the App Store and Mac App Store), although on the Windows Store when an application generates more than 25 000 dollars, Microsoft’s share falls to 20%. For the Chrome Web Store, Google only takes a 5% commission on purchases.

The price range of applications in the Windows Store will between $1.49 and $999.99. Trial applications can eventually be purchased (use limited to certain functions, or fully operationally for a limited time) and these will be indexed by the Bing search engine. In-app purchases will be allowed, in addition to external subscriptions and advertising funded applications.

Windows Store will be available in 231 markets and more than 100 languages. Developments supporting HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C#, C++ and XAML on x86 - x64 and ARM architectures will be available. For more details on the Windows Store, Microsoft has opened a new blog, while also launching a competition.