14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based software giant Microsoft seems set to create all the necessary conditions for developers so that they can come up with as many applications as possible for its upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system. Following the release of the necessary development tools, which were accompanied by a nice range of sessions on the building of apps for the new mobile platform, Microsoft is reportedly gearing up to provide developers with actual Windows Phone 7 devices as soon as next month.
The info comes from two separate sources, both stating that Microsoft announced such plans during developer events, one held in Maarssen (NL), while the other being the Microsoft TechEd 2010 conference in New Orleans. According to a recent post on mobilegamesblog, Ben Riga from Microsoft said during a Windows Phone 7 Event in Maarssen that the company planned on offering new devices to developers ahead of the official launch in Q4. An article on istartedsomething cites Brandon Watson from the Windows Phone 7 team stating the same thing, with the mentioning that the handsets should be delivered starting with July.
The exact number of mobile phones that would be delivered to developers hasn't been disclosed, yet it seems that these devices should reach Windows Phone devs in the 29 countries where the Windows Marketplace for Mobile is available. Those interested in receiving a handset should contact Microsoft to register their interest, and the software company would decide who gets what. The phones should come from various makers around the world (the already spotted LG Panther should be around them), yet with similar specifications, it seems.
Given the fact that the final Windows Phone 7 operating system is set to make an appearance only later in 2010, the handsets pushed out to developers would come with pre-release flavors of the platform. However, it seems that Microsoft plans on offering these devices for free. All in all, this indeed comes as good news for devs, even if there is a wide range of other details that haven't been yet unveiled. After the official launch, they should be able to purchase retail Windows Phone 7 handsets and unlock them via the developer portal.