Store hints at Google social networking offering?
Many commentators will be interested to see what percentage of new apps in the Chrome Web Store will be free as approximately half of Android apps can be accessed by users without charge. They may also be intrigued to know whether Chrome's store will add functionality which the Android Market lacks such as suggesting similar apps a user might like.
The Chrome Web Store is rumoured to fit in with Google's fabled social media strategy as detailed screenshots of the store leaked from the conference show an ‘Apps your friends like' area, according to Tech Crunch.
The website lays particular significance on the word ‘friends,' pointing out that Google's present social networking sites such as Buzz and Wave eschews the word, instead choosing to focus on ‘connections' and ‘followers'. In fact, the only Google product that does seem to use ‘friend' is Orkut, its Facebook rival flop.
Google has been rumoured to be beavering away on a new social networking proposition for a while and it would appear the company is positioning its Chrome store to take advantage of any future social features.
