Microsoft seems to be working on a website focusing on business apps, which leaked briefly online.
Well-known Microsoft leakster with Twitter handle WalkingCat posted an image of the upcoming Microsoft business app marketplace called AppSource. The service may help businesses to find apps that are needed for specific operations. For instance, businesses can search AppSource for all available apps related to "customer service."
Customers will be able to "Refine by category," which includes business operations such as analytics, collaboration, human resources, finance, marketing, productivity, sales and more. "Refine by industry" includes agriculture, distribution, financial services, government, manufacturing and professional services, among others.
Reports suggest that the AppSource website was live for about an hour and many people were able to browse through various categories. Microsoft published documentation on the website, which revealed that app developers who want to list their app on the marketplace will have to offer a free trial to users.
App developers will have to let their app integrate with Azure Active Directory, which is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and authentication service.
Just like other app stores, the AppSource marketplace will also review a submitted app before it is finally published. Microsoft is said to launch AppSource in partnership with SBS Group, AvePoint, XAPT and Dynaway.
It seems that the website was never supposed to be live at all. When the website was briefly live, WalkingCat clicked on "How it works" expecting to get useful information about the unannounced service. Instead of details about Appsource, the Microsoft leakster was greeted with a Rick Astley music video.
The website has since been taken down. The music video was most probably just an error on Microsoft engineers' part, or a dummy video until an official one arrived.
.@h0x0d click the "How it works" link on the top right and got this pic.twitter.com/JoTEX8YmT1
— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) June 28, 2016
Microsoft has not revealed any details about the upcoming business app service. It is unclear if the company even wants to officially launch the website. However, users may have to wait until Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, which kicks off on July 10 in Toronto, where the company may give a glimpse of the business app marketplace.
Microsoft's AppSource will not be the company's first initiative targeted at assisting businesses. The company is pushing a Windows Store for Business in Windows 10, which is expected to help business users buy native Windows 10 apps.
Photo: Mike Mozart | Flickr
