Important Windows 8 Apps That Are Still Missing in the Windows Store

3 min. read

Updated on October 4, 2023

updated on October 4, 2023

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When Microsoft introduced Windows 8, the company also released Windows Store, a place from where you can download and install various apps and programs for your tablet, laptop or desktop. While Windows Store wants to be similar with Apple Store or Google Play, there are some important apps that are still missing from Microsoft’s own market.
The apps and programs that aren’t available in Windows Store, but can be found on Google Play for example, are important software that can ease your daily work and which can help you schedule your daily program, or why not, entertain you and your family. So, during the following lines I will list these apps that aren’t yet available on Windows Store; of course, we hope that each tool mentioned here will be eventually released for our Windows 8 based devices.

Most relevant programs which aren’t yet available on Windows Store

Pinterest: Even though on Windows Store we have third party apps that offer access to this social media network, the official Pinterest client isn’t officially released for Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT users.
Google Calendar: In order to organize and schedule your daily activity you need to use a dedicated calendar app. While Google Calendar is the most popular app in that matter, on Windows Store you can’t find it, though there are several third party tools related to the same.
Pandora: This Internet Radio service has been recently made available for Windows Phone 8 devices, but the app is still messing for Windows 8 and Windows RT based tablets and desktops.
HBO GO: Unfortunately, if you own a Windows 8 based device you will not be able to watch your favorite movies from HBO, as HBO GO is still unavailable on Windows Store (you can stream HBO from your browser but you will not get a mobile-optimized interface) – instead you can use Hulu Plus.
Pocket: If you want to get in touch with everything that’s new by using Pocket, a dedicated app in that matter, you will not be able to do so, as the tool is still unavailable on Windows Store.
Spotify: Similar with Pandora, Spotify is available for Windows Phone 8 handsets, but no for Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets and desktops.
Instagram: As you might have noticed, the official Instagram client isn’t released on Windows Store, though you can any time use other dedicated third party tools.
Google Drive, Google Maps or YouTube: Google will not release dedicated Windows 8 apps for its own services, so Google Drive, Google Maps and even YouTube can’t be downloaded from Windows Store.

These are only few apps that are available on Google Play or Apple Store but not on Windows Store. Nowadays, we have around 150,000 apps released on Microsoft’s market, though we can’t even compare this number with the apps that are available on Google: more than one million. Anyway, let’s hope that more and more devs will develop new apps for the Windows 8 system, so that in the future this gap will be erased.

Andrew Wafer

Andrew is not just trying to bring you closer to Windows, but he's truly interested in this platform. He just happens to be passionate about sharing that knowledge with our readers and that’s what makes his presence here, at WindowsReport, such a valuable one. He specializes in writing about the best products for this operating system and Windows 10 fixes. Determined and creative, Andrew also loves coffee, country music, and Sunday mornings.