Localized Windows Marketplaces Offer Some Free English Apps

Redmond-based company Microsoft has recently delivered a series of updates for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, the software solutions portal for users of handsets running under its smartphone operating system, Windows Mobile. The storefront was launched for WinMo 6.5-based devices on October 6, when it included a number of 246 applications. However, the number of software solutions available there has increased since though not at the expected rate, one should agree.

The Windows Marketplace for Mobile is now available in a wide range of countries around the world, only that each country enjoys its localized version of the portal. While this is a great thing from a certain perspective, as developers will deliver localized content for users, it still has a downside, since not all apps in one Marketplace will be available for users in other countries. Even though Microsoft allows developers to submit apps in any supported language, the reach of apps to users is a rather reduced one, at least when it comes to small developers.

“Developers are currently able to submit applications for all supported languages, however some smaller markets have elected to initially provide a selection of free English apps until they’re able to offer a larger selection of local apps. This is natural in the early stages of a service covering this many markets. Given the great pipeline of new application submissions and the growing number of registered developers, we’re confident that the size and number of local catalogs will continue to grow,” a Microsoft spokesperson stated when asked what the company plans to do in this direction.

The software giant is known to plan making further updates to the Marketplace, one of which is expected to arrive before the end of the ongoing month, providing access to the storefront for the owners of a handset powered by the older Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1 versions of the platform, and there are chances that it will also change the approach on the localized applications policy. However, users should be able to access various Marketplaces, other than the one available in their country, which, although it seems not to be the most fortunate solution, might solve the problem in a way.

We should also mention the fact that, following the updates Microsoft has brought to the portal, the Marketplace client on mobile phones has also been updated. Those who will access the storefront from their Windows Mobile-based devices will be prompted to update to the new version, 1.1.1109.0000. There are no details at the moment regarding the changes that have been made with the application.