Microsoft Store for Business and Education could be on the way out
The Microsoft Store for Business and Education won’t let you acquire paid apps starting April 14.
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What you need to know
Microsoft may have just taken a major step towards closing its Microsoft Store for Business and Education. A notification is going out to customers that outlines that paid apps will no longer be available for acquisition through the Microsoft Store for Business and Education. According toZDNet, this could be a step towards getting rid of these versions of the Microsoft Store altogether.
“Starting April 14, 2021 all apps made available for a base price above “free” will no longer be available for acquisition in the Microsoft Store for Business and Education,” says the notification to customers. Apps already obtained through these stores can continue to receive updates, but people won’t be able to get new paid apps from the Microsoft Store for Business and Education.
Microsoft also notes that free apps are not impacted by this change and that the change doesn’t affect the Microsoft Store for consumers.
Twitter users “Hoyty” shared the entire notification on Twitter:
Well the Microsoft Store for Business and Education are dead. If this doesn’t show the death of UWP not sure what does. No way to purchase new apps for distribution in a month.@maryjofoleypic.twitter.com/ONoHHFSgMLWell the Microsoft Store for Business and Education are dead. If this doesn’t show the death of UWP not sure what does. No way to purchase new apps for distribution in a month.@maryjofoleypic.twitter.com/ONoHHFSgML— Hoyty (@hoyty)March 11, 2021March 11, 2021
ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reached out to Microsoft to see if this is a step towards closing the Microsoft Store for Business and Education. The company has not responded at this point.
Despite no word back from Microsoft, it does appear that this change is a move in that direction. Foley states, “It does sound as though the team that owns the digital stores decided that the Store for Business and Store for Education definitely would be deprecated. There was talk that June 2020 was the target, but that was pre-pandemic. "
Foley first reportedthat the stores could be on the way out last January. The timeline appears to have been delayed due to the global pandemic, though nothing is confirmed at this point.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
