Microsoft making unauthorized apps from websites

Also, Microsoft claims it's Canadian girlfriend does exist, so stop laughing at it. [Link]

As it turns out, this isn’t a native Windows Phone app — and it wasn’t made by Redfin. It was developed by Microsoft, by packaging up Redfin’s mobile website in the form of an installable app.

In fact, the existence of the Redfin app for Windows Phone was a surprise to Redfin.

“Redfin did not authorize Microsoft to do this,” said Redfin spokeswoman Jani Strand in an email to GeekWire today.

Redfin is far from alone in experiencing Microsoft’s web-app wrapup. This is part of a broader initiative by the Redmond company to stock its app store with more of the popular services that consumers have come to expect on smartphones. There are more than 80 apps associated with the Microsoft WebApps account on the Windows Phone Store at the moment — including notable brands such as Trulia, Lowe’s, Meetup, Coach, Ugg, Jimmy John’s, Orbitz, and many more.

The initiative dates back to the fall, when Southwest Airlines asked Microsoft to remove its unauthorized web app, developed by Microsoft, from the Windows Phone Store. Microsoft complied with that request, but the overall initiative has continued, with one of the web apps, for the TOMS shoes and eyewear site, published as recently as yesterday. The Redfin app was published last week.

Responding to an inquiry from GeekWire today, Microsoft said the reception for the web apps overall has been positive. The idea, the company says, is to give Windows Phone users  ”quick pinnable access to select mobile websites that work great on Windows Phone.”

Uh huh.