Microsoft letting WinMo users browse, buy and download from their PC browser.
Microsoft has launched a website version of its Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store, allowing people to browse, buy and download apps on their PC.
When people buy apps on the webstore, they're delivered to their handset over the air, and install the next time the Windows Marketplace client is run.
"While we’ve heard great feedback on the Marketplace experience on Windows phones, sometimes people just want the benefits of a shopping on a PC," blogs Todd Brix, Microsoft's director of mobile services marketing.
So far, the Marketplace is only available to people with handsets running version 6.5 of the Windows Mobile OS, but later this month it will launch for 6.0 and 6.1 handsets, according to Brix.
"Marketplace has been extremely active and I couldn’t be happier with the reactions from both developers and customers. We’ve been open for just over one month and already we can see that there’s demand for an application marketplace that doesn’t compromise on quality or experience."
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Online versions of mobile app stores are becoming de rigeur - Apple has the iTunes desktop client, RIM has its BlackBerry App World webstore, and Nokia's Ovi Store has had a web version from launch. Only Android has stuck with a mobile-only strategy.
