Web-Based Windows Phone 7 App Store Arriving with Mango

Microsoft is putting together a web-based version of its application store for Windows 7 Phone smart phones, in the fashion of leading app stores from Apple and Google.
SOFTWARE HOUSE Microsoft has announced a web-based version of Windows 7 Phone (WP7) Marketplace that will come out with Mango update to its mobile operating system.
Web-based Windows 7 Phone Marketplace coming this fall, in time for the release of Mango, Microsoft's latest update to its smart phone operating system.
You will be able to purchase apps via the web-based WP7 Marketplace, which will be linked to an account that is already mapped to your existing Windows Live ID.
Web Windows 7 Phone Market Place will be very similar to Google's Android and Apple's offer.
The app will then be automatically downloaded wirelessly to the device, or you can choose to install it later.
You can scroll through the entire app directory, see the screenshots of the apps, and cheque out details and reviews.
A download history will be saved that will make it possible to install programs.
Microsoft is conducting a great discovery function, which allows you to share your favourite apps via a link in the e-mail or social networking recommendations on Facebook and Twitter.
Parental controls will also allow control of which programs children can use or block them from downloading programs that cost money.
Billing-wise, using the forthcoming Web Marketplace same transaction method of smart phones, via a credit card linked to your existing Windows Live ID.
In an attempt to lure developers with a Windows phone blog says: As a Windows phone developer, you [will] be all the more visible without the extra work.
A useful feature of Windows 7 Phone Web Marketplace is the purchase: the store will track your purchases, so when you upgrade your phone, you can install all your purchased apps at once.
It is, we will also have more placement areas to provide featured apps with additional visibility and marketing opportunities.
Web App Store is part of Microsoft's push to be relevant again in the smart phone arena dominated by Apple and Google.
Currently WP7 Marketplace offers over 17,000 apps and has 42 000 registered developers.
The company's Windows 7 Phone Mango update promises to bring approximately 500 news features, including some long overdue improvements such as third-party multi-tasking.
WP7 seems to be off of the pace compared with Google's Android Market, which already has a web version and over 200,000 applications, while Apple has just hit the 500,000 mark of approved applications in the App Store.
A bunch of new Windows 7 Phone devices are expected to arrive at the same time as well from Acer, Fujitsu, HTC, Nokia, Samsung and ZTE.
μ.
Follow Daniel Ionescu and Today @ PCWorld on Twitter.