14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Phone 7, the mobile operating system that Microsoft brought to the market in October last year, is continuously expanding, the same as the app ecosystem behind it, and Microsoft has just announced new steps it takes towards ensuring that developers enjoy a wide range of opportunities.
There are over 9,000 applications and games available for download via the Windows Phone Marketplace, which is backed by a number of over 32,000 registered developers, Microsoft's Todd Brix notes in a recent blog post.
However, the company seems set to ensure that more developers have access to the app store, and it put in place a Global Publisher Program for that.
“This program will enable developers worldwide to work with a Global Publisher to submit apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace. Developers from countries and regions all over the world can now submit apps and games to the Windows Phone Marketplace,” Todd Brix notes.
Basically, applications will be submitted to the Marketplace not by the developer, but by Publishers, in accordance with pricing and service terms defined by the Publisher.
Brix exemplified the Global Publisher Program through mentioning Yalla Apps, a new regional Windows Phone application publishing portal managed by Global Publisher, Prototype Interactive.
“Yalla Apps enables developers to submit and publish Windows Phone 7 applications from the developer community across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region,” he notes.
“We are working with additional Global Publishers in other regions to bring the same opportunity to more developers around the world.”
A series of changes brought to the Marketplace policies were announced as well, such as the fact that devs can now add a number of up to 100 free applications to the storefront.
He also noted that only apps built under BSD, MIT, Apache Software License 2.0 and Microsoft Public License open source licenses are admitted to the portal.
“We plan to update the APA shortly to clarify that we also permit applications under the Eclipse Public License, the Mozilla Public License and other, similar licenses and we continue to explore the possibility of accommodating additional OSS licenses,” Brix continued.
The Marketplace policy 5.6, which is “related to the inclusion of contact information for support” has been changed from a mandatory to an optional policy.
“We remain very pleased with the Windows Phone Marketplace ecosystem and are grateful for the time, patience and hard work that developers have committed to make it a success,” the said blog post concludes.