While Microsoft announced the upcoming launch of its Windows Marketplace during the recent Mobile World Congress, the software giant hasn't given too much info how this market place for Windows Phones might look or work. While the new Windows Mobile 6.5 OS carries a Marketplace icon in the Start menu, Microsoft denied to launch the application during the Mobile World Congress and one reason why Microsoft might denied it might be the fact that the market place is just a Windows Mobile optimized website. As pocketnow.com found out now, Microsoft recently launched a mobile device optimized web site which is indeed called "Marketplace".

If Windows Phone's Marketplace would just be a mobile device optimized website, it would be somewhat disappointing. We have mobile device optimized web shops for Windows Mobile in place for years already (like Handango and PocketGear) but these concepts never became as successful as application-based stores (like for the Apple iPhone or Google Android) became. Also, while providing compatibility for older devices, web based stores has serious disadvantages over application based stores.

Cheers ~ Arne