Goodbye Marketplace, Hello Store – Windows Phone Website going to be Revamped [List of Changes]

Changing brand names and revamping the brand website is not unusual. Sometimes companies do it for getting attention or sometimes there may be other reasons. Windows Team Blog has just announced on the behalf of Microsoft that a new deign of Windows Phone website is coming soon. The changes will be seen in phases. Beginning with Australia and New Zealand, the changes will be rolled-out to other countries worldwide.

I just tried to compile the list from the original post. The list is following.

Apparently noticeable changes after roll-out

• Official website will have cleaner design and a couple of menu options.
• News section will provide summary about what notable journalists, reviewers, and bloggers are writing about Windows Phone or the latest handsets and apps.
• Marketplace menu option has changed to Apps & Games.
• Name “Marketplace” will be completely retired and renamed to “Windows Phone Store”. This change is actually following Windows 8 and its Windows Store. Both will share the same Store icon (the basket with a Windows Logo).
• Improved App search relying on the Bing search engine. Auto correct or fixing spelling errors on Search Box. Similar apps and apps from the same genre.
• Smarter app lists. e.g. Top Free and Top Paid.
• New+Rising list is not only refreshed more frequently, but takes into consideration how quickly an app is being downloaded.
• New “Best Rated” apps based on the customer ratings and actual usage patterns.
• The Spotlight area of the Windows Phone Store, meanwhile, showcases a mosaic of recently-published apps chosen by our in-house experts.

If you are a Windows Phone user and visit marketplace on regular basis, you might want to bookmark it and check back for the latest update. Checkout the source link below to see more.

[source WindowsTeamBlog]