[rammark]

will be a free update to Windows 8 for consumers through the Windows Store

This could be to get more people to link their Microsoft ID with their Windows user accounts so that they will be more likely to use the store in the future. The alternative would be to release it through Windows Update like every other Windows patch for the last decade+.

[nivla]

I miss the pre-iphone era where your devices din't require registration with the manufacture to be used/updated/upgraded. Sad to see even desktops and laptops moving towards that direction.

[jagermo]

i think it will be interesting to see how this works. I'm not 100 percent sure, but i think the store basically cannot update apps and functions outside its modern UI jail, right?

[dangrossman]

The store can do whatever Microsoft wants it to be able to do. Updating and installing apps necessarily involves more permission than the apps themselves have access to.