Google Planning Apps Store For BusinessesGoogle Planning Apps Store For Businesses

Never mind apps for phones, Google is planning to launch a new online apps store for business customers. The software would integrate with its Web-based services. Google continues to increase the pressure on Microsoft.The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with Google's plans, notes that the company is working on a Web-based apps store that would sell third-party software to enterprise users of its Google Apps software. The software would do things such as add to the existing capabilities of Google's own software. According to the Journal's sources, the store, which will be a re-imagined version of its Solutions Marketplace, will launch as soon as March.

Google will follow the modern model of providing the platform through which its third-party partners can sell their own software. Google will keep some of the money for itself. Users of Googles Apps software will then be able to access whatever they've purchased through their browser, with buttons and/or tabs built into Gmail and Google Docs, for example.

The move clearly steps up Google's goal of stealing enterprise customers from Microsoft. It offers its online applications and services to businesses for $50 per user per year. Microsoft's Office software and Exchange licensing costs far surpass what Google charges. The question is, will businesses go for it?

Despite the Google Apps success stories that Google shares via its official blogs, the vast majority of enterprises have stuck with Microsoft, citing concerns such as security as a reason to stay away from Google. Could this be the move that businesses have been waiting for? Perhaps. A lot will depend on what Google's software developer partners are able to create.

Developers for Google's Android Market are not entirely thrilled with the way the market works and is run by Google. Google may be setting itself up for more discontent -- both from developers and customers if the third-party software turns out to be wonky. Google will have to take care to vette its software partners to make sure the proper amount of support will be provided for business customers. Google will also have to make sure there are clear lines of communication between customers, itself, and developers if/when problems to arise.

Google hasn't officially commented on this.