14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based Microsoft launched about a month ago its software solutions portal for the mobile phones that run under its own operating system, the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. The launch of the storefront coincided with the release of the first handsets running under Windows Mobile 6.5, the latest flavor of the OS, and now the company has announced that it has operated a series of changes to it. Most of you might have known that the Marketplace was to be updated, and you can check out the improvements that have been brought to it.
“I’m pleased to introduce a few much anticipated upgrades for Windows Marketplace for Mobile going live today. We introduced Windows Marketplace with the launch of Windows phones on October 6th and promised a second wave of features in November. Today, we’re adding more advanced anti-piracy protection and an improved developer portal for our registered ISVs, as well as introducing PC based shopping and account management for Windows phone customers” is what Microsoft's Todd Brix notes on the Windows Team Blog.
When it comes to users, one of the main improvements the updated Windows Marketplace for Mobile comes around with is the possibility to purchase applications from a computer. Windows phone owners can now browse, buy and download applications from their PCs directly on the portal's website. However, it should be noted that the “selected applications are delivered wirelessly to the customer’s Windows phone and install the next time the Windows Marketplace client runs on the device.” Those willing to browse through the Windows Marketplace for Mobile from their PC should head here.
As for developers, they should be pleased to learn that the developer portal has also been updated, offering the possibility for images to be uploaded, and providing “greater insight into account status and several other refinements based on feedback from developers.” At the same time, the anti-piracy protection has been improved, and the exact details on the new protections can be found on a whitepaper here. As always, those who would like to learn more on the development of applications for Microsoft's mobile client should head to the Windows Mobile for Developers site.
While these updates sound like great additions to the software portal, one might be pleased to learn that there are additional improvements on their way to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and that they should come later during this month. Among them, Todd Brix notes the extension of the storefront availability for users that own handsets running under the older Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 versions of the operating system. Stay tuned to learn more details on this.