AppStoreHQ said today that it has added Windows Phone apps to its web-based search and recommendation engine for mobile apps. Microsoft’s mobile platform joins iOS and Android in the Seattle startup’s database, which lets users search for the highest-quality apps and get personalized recommendations.
In making the move, AppStoreHQ cited the maturation of the Windows Phone ecosystem, saying in a news release that the “rapid growth of Windows Phone’s Marketplace to approximately 30,000 apps in under a year is evidence of the appeal that the Windows Phone platform has for app developers.”
Features of AppStoreHQ’s Windows Phone section include the ability to search by rating, pricing tier and release date. Users can also sort the listings to find Windows Phone apps that integrate with Xbox Live. Users who log in and create profiles can get personalized recommendations by indicating which apps they already use and like.
AppStoreHQ works in part by analyzing trends on blogs and Twitter to determine which apps are getting positive buzz.
Coinciding with the recent launch of Windows Phone 7.5, dubbed Mango, Microsoft itself recently launched its own web-based interface for finding and buying Windows Phone apps, after previously relying exclusively on the Zune software on Windows PCs for the functionality.
Separately, AppStoreHQ recently launched a new version of its AppESP app for Android, which automates the recommendation process based on the apps people have already installed.
