Microsoft launches Windows Mobile app contest
Published: 28 Jul 2009 08:35 BST
Microsoft on Monday opened the door to submissions for its Windows Mobile application store from developers in 29 countries.
The software maker also announced the Race to Market Challenge, a contest that will end with Microsoft giving four touchscreen Microsoft Surface tables to four winning developers.
All applications, games and widgets certified in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile before 31 December will be eligible to win one of four categories: most downloaded freeware; most moneymaking app (calculated by the number of downloads times price); the most useful product; and the most playful. Microsoft will determine the last two subjective awards by a panel decision.
In contrast, Google's first Android Developer Challenge gave 10 teams a $275,000 (£170,000) award, 10 teams a $100,000 cheque, and each of the top 50 finalists $25,000 as an incentive to program the 'best' of the first-ever Android applications.
For the hopeful winners of the Microsoft Race to Market Challenge, odds favour the free and premium applications that are promoted in the app store the longest and, among them, apps already popular on earlier Windows Mobile builds and on other mobile and desktop platform; Google Mobile App might be one example.
The backdrop to Microsoft's challenge is its submission process, which Microsoft estimates will take 10 business days from start to finish. Developers will be able to chart their apps' progress on a dashboard, and access a report if Microsoft denies the submission for breaching content policies, prohibitions and submission guidelines.
Microsoft's Windows Marketplace for Mobile application storefront will premiere on Windows Mobile phones running the upcoming version 6.5 of the mobile operating system. It will be the distribution nexus for free and premium Windows Mobile applications that is similar in concept to Apple's iTunes App Store, Google's Android Market and RIM's BlackBerry App World.
Windows Mobile 6.5 phones are expected to hit shelves in early autumn.
Interested developers can access everything from the developer toolkit to the marketplace registration on the Windows Mobile website.
Microsoft is accepting submissions from developers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK and the US.
Credit: Microsoft kicks off Windows Mobile app store challenge from CNET News
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