Azure is not amazingly new
(not that is a bad thing)
As far as I can tell, it is like a Linux distribution LAMP, but obviously of Microsoft flavoured components (WISN). MS have had an 'appliance' (file/print) server for some while, nicking Novell's business.
Didn't they add PHP to Azure recently.
Apps and app-stores will probably be a fading market, replaced by objects (films/videos) and services (TV, maps, contact storage, etc.).