Microsoft Copies Google: Marketplace Bag?
| by Rob Jackson on March 9th, 2009 |
We knew that the Microsoft’s Application Store – codenamed Skymarket – was going to launch at some point. They would be stupid NOT to launch something like this as soon as possible. But with everyone looking to differentiate with names like App Store, App World and App Market, it’s a bit funny that Microsoft pretty much cloned the face of the Android Market and rebranded it:

Microsoft launched a placeholder for their Application area that seems to be named “Windows Marketplace for Mobile“… how creative! But not only will (potentially) Android and WinMo share the market name but their icons are nealy identical now too (see above)! Are you kidding me?
Make the bag blue, add our logo and add “place” to market. Oh yeah, oooh oooh… and make it…. 2D!
That’s what one imaginary Microsoft Windows Mobile Engineer said just as he thought of the brilliant idea. Seriously though, going the “App World” route and making an original name for the sake of being original is corny but this is at the other extreme. I mean, couldn’t they make it look like a lemonade stand kind of icon or something? Does anyone else find this sad like Windows Mobile waving their arms in the air saying, “Hey! Us too!”
The placeholder can be found at: http://client.marketplace.windowsmobile.com/

Windows Marketplace was initially supposed to launch with WinMo 7 but due to its delay will come out with WinMo 6.5
[Via MobileRoar]


1. gork wrote on March 9, 2009
Um….who cares??
It’s a bag. It’s a marketplace. Android people complaining about this is about the same as complaining about Apple not letting the Android have multitouch.
We need to look at stuff like this and say….yeah nice original idea Microsoft… <>
2. Blub wrote on March 9, 2009
Are you sure?
“to launch with WinMo 7 but due to its delay will come out with WinMo 6.5″
3. Blub wrote on March 10, 2009
Are you sure?
“to launch with WinMo 7 but due to its delay will come out with WinMo 6.5″
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
4. Trav wrote on March 10, 2009
Did anyone actually expect originality or ingenuity in product design from Microsoft? Seriously? Since when?
5. etrnldrk wrote on March 12, 2009
gork, multitouch is useless on a phone, in all honesty, the screen is much too small for it to be used to its full potential.. Now as a multitouch touchpad for laptops, that is revolutionary, score one for apple on that.
6. etrnldrk wrote on March 12, 2009
.. or even better, a 24″ 1080p monitor with multitouch could also come in handy.. or better yet a trackpad for desktops that is multitouch enabled.
7. z wrote on March 15, 2009
It’s a bag, get over it. How unique can you expect bag designs to be? And the MS one looks better anyway. (Android user here)
8. Tyki Mikk wrote on February 18, 2010
dude, stop hating on microsoft. I mean they maynot be great but its no big deal for em to do this. Anyways Google also copies Microsoft from time to time like wtih the hover preview on youtube now which they stole from bing video search.