14 DAY TRIAL // Along with the unveiling of a set of development tools for those interested in building applications for the new Windows Phone 7 OS, Microsoft also announced that software solutions developed for the new platform would be brought to users via a new Windows Phone Marketplace. The new software solutions portal comes with a panoramic design and sports active merchandising so as to enhance the “discoverability of games and applications.”
At the same time, the Windows Phone Marketplace also comes with support for one-time credit card purchases, as well as with mobile operator billing and with support for advertising-funded applications. According to the Redmond-based software company, the application portal will also offer customers the possibility to try out applications before purchasing them, while developers will have the opportunity to cross-promote apps via deep linking. And with all the tools the company has released for mobile applications developers, the building of solutions for the new OS should kick off pretty easily, it seems.
The app store will also come with a carrier-branded section, which will enable operators sell their content to customers directly through the service, Microsoft notes (the “Contoso” label on the Windows Phone Marketplace press image marks the carrier section). Moreover, along with the details unveiled on the new Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Series, the company also revealed that a series of leading companies around the world had already announced plans to deliver applications for the platform.
Among these companies Microsoft counts: “The Associated Press, Archetype International Inc., AWS Convergence Technologies – WeatherBug, Citrix Systems Inc., Clarity Consulting Inc., Cypress Consulting, EA Mobile, Fandango Inc., Foursquare Labs Inc., frog design inc., Glu Mobile Inc., Graphic.ly, Hudson Entertainment Inc., IdentityMine Inc., IMDb.com Inc., Larva Labs, Match.com LLC, Matchbox Mobile Ltd., Microsoft Game Studios, Namco Networks America Inc., Oberon Media Inc., Pageonce Inc., Pandora Media Inc., Photobucket Inc., PopCap Games Inc., Seesmic, Shazam Entertainment Ltd., Sling Media, SPB Software Inc., stimulant, TeleCommunications Systems Inc., Touchality LLC and Vertigo Software Inc.”