With a lot of users jumping onto the Windows 10 bandwagon from Windows 7, Microsoft is trying to make it easier for those unfamiliar with the style of apps introduced in Windows 8 to explore the new unified app Store and discover modern versions of programs they may have been using previously.
One way that Microsoft is hoping to ease the transition into the wonderful world of Windows apps is through the use of collections and categories within the Store app and its website version. Categories and collections were used in Windows 8 but as a whole they’ve been a lot more streamlined and easier to navigate (like much of the Store app in general) in this latest iteration.
One collection that aims to get Windows 10 newbies apping like a pro is the new Essential Apps list which features a variety of productivity and media consumption apps. For users after some music, there’s the iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and popular Shazam apps. For news and reading they list Nook, Flipboard, and USA Today. Those looking for some video to watch are invited to download the Hulu Plus, Watch ESPN, and Flixer apps.
As with any list of apps titled, “essential”, the included apps are bound to be very subjective and will also be limited by region. The inclusion of the Nook app is great for those Nook readers upgrading to a Windows 10 device but the exclusion of the Windows Kindle app is odd considering how many more users are on the Kindle ecosystem. Likewise, the absence of the Windows Netflix app is a bizarre omission.
Something else worth noting is that none of Microsoft’s own apps are listed as essential though admittedly, for better or worse, a lot of them are already pre-installed on Windows 10 devices.
Which apps would you recommend to new Windows 10 users? Share your suggestions with the WinBeta community in the comments below.
