Microsoft is planning to extend its Windows Store service to accept app submissions from developers in 38 markets in an upcoming pre-release version of Windows 8 as well as increasing the number of market-specific app catalogs from five to 26. The expansion will add 33 countries to the existing five markets available to developers for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom. The company says users in France, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States see specific app catalogs, whereas other countries simply see a “Rest of World” catalog. Microsoft is expected to deliver a Release Candidate version of Windows 8, rumored to be dubbed “Windows 8 Release Preview” in early June that is why it is giving the current a push.
