14 DAY TRIAL // Soon, the Windows Phone Marketplace will become available for users in 23 new markets around the world.
To get ready for the launch, Microsoft will start accepting submissions for applications that target these new markets in the next two weeks. For developers, this would mean an expanded user base to tap onto.
This month, the Windows Phone Marketplace will become available in Bahrain, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
In addition to these 23 new Marketplaces, there are the five markets in which the app store was launched earlier this year, including Argentina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, and the Philippines.
“Once this latest batch goes live, it will bring our total number of customer storefronts to 63—nearly half of which are new in 2012,” Microsoft’s Todd Brix notes in a blog post.
“Factor in the new wave of handsets (including more affordable models) coming from Nokia, HTC, and ZTE, and it means a nearly 60 percent increase in the total addressable market for your apps.”
As soon as the App Hub is updated, developers can head over to it and select the markets where to have their applications published. Those who will choose worldwide – even if they have selected this before – will have their software release everywhere.
“We’re not adding new App Hub locations in this release. If it’s not available where you live, use a global publisher to submit your app,” the said blog post continues.
Developers should also keep in mind that there are some additional certification requirements in place for Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Additional details on the matter are available in Section 3.10 of Microsoft’s content policy.
“Finally, due to the volume of new app submissions and updates, it’s taking at least 7 calendar days to certify apps—a number that could increase. Just something to consider if you’re aiming to have your app live by a particular date,” Todd Brix also notes.