In what could be the beginning of the end for boxed software,  Microsoft has quietly launched a new online store where US customers can buy its software and hardware products.

Microsoft already has similar stores in the UK, Germany and Korea, allowing customers to buy first-party software and hardware directly from Microsoft.

Trevin Chow, Microsoft senior program manager, said in a blog post that it will also mean that people wanting to buy some of Redmond’s hardware will be able to bypass the channel. Customers will be able to re-download software products that they buy for as long as Microsoft supports the product, typically five years.

Customers can also copy the software onto disks for future access and Microsoft will store product keys for buyers. The keys can be accessed online if customers need to reinstall the software. X

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