Microsoft has opened the Windows 8 Store for app submissions. Developers, whether companies or individuals, can start submitting apps for Windows certification ahead of the launch later this year.

As well as opening for submissions, its widened the number of countries which can submit, up to a total of 120.

“At every major Windows 8 development milestone – Release Preview, Consumer Preview, RTM – we’ve added markets toward our commitment to a truly global offering,” said Ted Dworkin, Windows Store partner program manager, in a blog post. “Today’s 82 additional markets more than doubles our support toward enabling developer opportunity everywhere there’s a developer with desire. And as we’ve said before, we will just keep going.”

Developers need to register, and pay, for an account to be able to submit their app, with exceptions – free accounts are available for members of MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) or the DreamSpark student programme. From the viewpoint of developers who already create apps for WP7, having to pay for a separate Windows 8 account is problematic. Microsoft had better hope that doesnt put smaller developers off supporting the nascent platform.