Windows 10 is coming soon - in a week, in fact - as Microsoft has already released the latest build, build 10240, to its manufacturing partners and to all Insiders. The company had previously announced that a new, unified store will be coming soon, allowing users to access applications for both the mobile and desktop versions of the OS in one place. The store isn't up yet but will be, on the same day that Windows 10 launches. A report by Mary Jo Foley has now revealed more information about the Windows 10 Universal Windows Platform (UWP), the new store and when developers can submit their apps to the new store.

Developers will receive the final version of the Windows 10 Universal Windows Platform (UWP) on the same day that Windows 10 launches. UWP apps are, as Microsoft has previously explained, universal applications that run on (almost) all of Microsoft's platforms, spanning Windows 10 PCs and Windows 10 Mobile devices; Xbox, HoloLens and even the Raspberry Pi will follow soon.

Windows recently updated its runtime to .NET Native, previously known as 'Project N', and this will be found in the core OS for all these devices. Serving as the default runtime and framework for all UWP apps, not only will .NET Native allow developers to run the same app on multiple devices but also promises to offer significantly better performance, with ahead-of-time compilation allowing programs to run faster - possibly as much as 60% - and use 15-20% less memory, providing an overall superior experience to end users.

These benefits are, however, contingent on developers tweaking their existing apps for Windows 10. Developers' existing apps will work and be available in the new Store but new UWP apps will start being accepted on the day Windows 10 launches.

Source: Zdnet