Microsoft unveils Windows Marketplace fees, splits, hopes, and dreams

Microsoft has begun laying out plans for its version of the App Store -- dubbed the Windows Marketplace -- with some familiar numbers, and a few unfamiliar tweaks. According to Ina Fried, the company will charge developers an annual fee of $99 to become part of the ecosystem, and an additional $99 for every app they submit (though throughout 2009, they'll have a chance to submit five apps at no cost). A rep from the big M states that the fee is "an acceptable cost of doing business for [software developers] looking to get in front of millions of customers," and justifies the charge on the grounds that Microsoft will "run a rigorous certification process to ensure that the end user's experience is optimal, and that the device and network resources aren't used in a malicious way."

Additionally, the company maintains that the process will offer "complete transparency throughout the application submission process," which indicates the folks in Redmond wouldn't mind courting devs who've been burned by Apple's opaque, confusing, and sometimes unfair system of approval. Besides the flat rates, Microsoft will take 30 percent of earnings from sales just as Apple and Google do -- the lone standout being RIM, who's generously offering 80 percent to devs (though hasn't exactly been blowing doors off hinges with its movement on fostering development). Microsoft's Marketplace will debut with the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 in Q4 2009, though developers can apparently register come Spring, and start submitting this Summer.

[Tohe @ Mar 11th 2009 10:00AM]

That is probably the ugliest bag Engadget could have found.

[Paul A. Chapel @ Mar 11th 2009 10:27AM]

Sigh. Microsoft always follows, never leads.

[Samboini @ Mar 11th 2009 10:37AM]

Just like you to each and every Apple product Paul, you hypcrotical douche.

[antipaul @ Mar 11th 2009 10:40AM]

hey paul,

doesnt 90% marketshare mean theyre leading? oh macs have like 7-9% marketshare, right? i think in your reality distortion field they still lead right? douche!

[Paul A. Chapel @ Mar 11th 2009 10:45AM]

Oh, no, a couple of guys I will never meet or see don't like me. How will I ever live this down?

[OneLove @ Mar 11th 2009 10:47AM]

blah, blah, Vista SP2 RC makes cod4 and cod5 crash and didn't fix my ehrecvr.exe crashes!!! (thank god for ghost)

[Duke @ Mar 11th 2009 11:02AM]

Paul, I don't know you from anyone else out thee, but saying MS never leads is pretty damn dumb.

[Paul A. Chapel @ Mar 11th 2009 11:13AM]

Oh, yeah, why would I say such a thing?


Windows = copy of the Mac OS
Internet Explorer = copy of Netscape
MSN Music Store = copy of iTunes
Xbox = copy of the Playstation
Live Search = copy of Google
Zune = copy of the iPod
Vista = copy of OS X Tiger


"Every time we go down a path, we look behind and they're right there - we just can't shake these guys. I wish that they would come up with some strategies of their own, but they seem to be going down the path of everything we do. If you look at their strategy in other business areas as well, they tend to do that."

—Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), speaking about Microsoft.

[stingray_shrey @ Mar 11th 2009 11:33AM]

wait, so making a browser is an act of copying? Is Toyota copying Ford by making a car? Is Logitech copying Kensington by making a mouse? Just because MS makes a product of the same category doesn't mean its copying. And how the f*** can you call the Zune a copy of the iPod? They are completely different besides the fact that they play music.

[Skeezle @ Mar 11th 2009 11:33AM]

don't forget
MS Word = WordPerfect
Excel = Lotus 1-2-3
Zune = iPod

Jesus, this list could just keep going. Basically, look at anything microsoft offers and I am sure you will find that it was just a knock off of something else.

Even their fanboys are just knock offs of Apple fanboys! What do MS fanboys do? Troll every single Apple related post!

[rask @ Mar 11th 2009 11:35AM]

@Paul

If MS is always aping Sony, how come ALL the new features that have gone into the PS3 for the last 2 years have been Sony attempting to duplicate the awesome that is Xbox Live?

As far as the Marketplace thing goes, the exact same criticism could be lobbed at Google, RIM or Palm. There isn't really any way you could innovate an online store.

Apple could be criticised cause they ripped off Handango. they had an application store for Mobile devices LONG before Apple opened up the App Store.

[Duke @ Mar 11th 2009 11:38AM]

Quoting Kaz gives me a laugh. So, in your mind they are never leading because someone else has invented a concept first? So let’s see, they made an operating system, like other companies had before, and a web browser like a company which failed miserably had invented before, and an online store, a game system, a search application, a music player all like other companies have. The major difference being that they lead on many of those fronts by making the items better. Also, don't you tell me that you think they copied the playstation - that’s a slippery slope as I can say the PS copied every machine before it. In fact, XBL is surely not copied from the PSN system and nobody could seriously argue otherwise.

You want to hate MS, then cool, that’s your right. Yet don’t expect everyone to just jump on board with your view because you make a list. (Netscape wasn’t the first – Nexus was before it. Xenix was before apple’s OS, etc etc… Lists are b.s.)

[Paul A. Chapel @ Mar 11th 2009 11:40AM]

My best friend (who owns a Mac, of course) told me about five years ago that if I wanted to predict what Microsoft would have on the market in the next few years, just look at what's popular right now. I was mad at him at the time, because I was dedicated PC Fanboy to the bone, but boy, was he right.

[Kelmon @ Mar 11th 2009 11:45AM]

Oh, good grief. Seriously, who cares who copied who? All I care about is who provides me with the best solution for what I want to do. Microsoft undoubtably copies things that Apple and other companies have done, but the same is true the other way around and, frankly, is of absolutely no importance whatsoever. Should I care that Apple copied OS X's Fast User Switching from Windows XP, as acknowledged by Steve Jobs when he demonstrated it? No.

If you are going to argue about something, at least do it about something interesting.

[Major4Play @ Mar 11th 2009 11:50AM]

@ Paul A Chapel

Lets see if we can list a few other rip offs

Dashboard = Konfabulator ( an exact rip even down to the control keys)
iPod = MPMan,Creative,Rio MP3 players (Jeez you do realise Apple didn't invent mp3 players don't you dumb ass ? )

Internet Explorer = copy of Netscape - FAIL a "competitor" to netscape, but then that means Safari must rip them both off no ?
MSN Music Store = copy of iTunes - FAIL iTunes was not the first online music store Sony beat them to it as did many others
Xbox = copy of the Playstation - FAIL Playstations were not the first games console how old are you ?
Live Search = copy of Google - FAIL again Paul google did not invent internet search
Visa - Copy of OSX tiger - FAIL have you ever used Vista ? i use Tiger and Vista everyday don't seem that similar to me.

So really what you're trying to say is " I am a troll with no technical knowledge (or memory of the last 20 years) at all, surprise surpise I'm a diehard iTard"

[Mr. Ford @ Mar 11th 2009 12:02PM]

@Skeezle

Aren't you trolling a Microsoft post right now?

[Shinigami @ Mar 11th 2009 12:03PM]

OMG
If I make an app for WinMobile and want to sell it for $1, I have to sell 667 copies just to make sure I get my money back?!

No coding for WinMob from me!!!

[Neha @ Mar 11th 2009 1:06PM]

It's always that kinda passive aggressive shit with MS over here. At least we didn't a get bad photoshop pic of Ballmer screaming something that only preening iTard would laugh at.

[poke @ Mar 11th 2009 1:12PM]

@Shinigami - if you are worried about your app not selling more than 667 on a phone that sells in its millions you are not the kind of developer the want releasing sub-standard apps on the app store. Just release your cr@p on another website.

If you are smart you would release beta on XDA and gauge interest.

I hope the app store wont push the previously free apps on xda onto a paid service. naturally this is likely to happen but i guess the developers deserve it if it is worthy.

peace out!

[dtatgenho @ Mar 11th 2009 1:18PM]

Also, student developers won’t be charged the registration fee if they enroll in the Microsoft DreamSpark program.

More info on MS's Marketplace: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=2275

[simon @ Mar 11th 2009 1:22PM]

@ Major4Play

"diehard iTard". Kudos my friend, that's priceless. thnx.

[ImaYam @ Mar 11th 2009 2:25PM]

they shouldve used a bag of hurt.

[Sisyphus @ Mar 11th 2009 10:00AM]

Why not just let the community do its own quality assurance?

[emiliano.manon @ Mar 11th 2009 10:36AM]

Cause we would be inundated tons of fart apps

[Fred @ Mar 11th 2009 10:22AM]

Because the community obviously sucks at it.

[Ruben @ Mar 11th 2009 10:23AM]

The post your apps on XDA-Developers.com. The way its done now.

They are not forcing you to use the marketplace. That's whats great about WinMo.

OPTIONS!

[Sisyphus @ Mar 11th 2009 10:24AM]

Gotcha Ruben, that wasn't clear from this article.

Good to know!

[Richy @ Mar 11th 2009 1:04PM]

Options...?

Yeah: rock or hard place.

Hmmmmm.

[A @ Mar 13th 2009 2:59AM]

@Sisyphus

Save your breath. They'll never understand. Their only defense is fart apps, copy & paste, and crazy zombie fanboys. But in our own understanding, it's actually useful apps (because we don't just look at the Top 100 apps), copy & paste (my old phone RAZR never had that either, so I don't see what the big deal is anyway), and Apple have devoted fanboys that Microsoft will never have.

[duffiecochran @ Mar 11th 2009 10:03AM]

Apple and Googles Android app store have it right. Microsoft has it wrong.

[jakem @ Mar 11th 2009 10:10AM]

Why? Because it's Microsoft? Did I miss something?

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 11th 2009 10:10AM]

By charging the same price and offering 5 submissions free.

Yep, bunch of idiots.

[CosterMonger @ Mar 11th 2009 11:14AM]

ANDROID is going to own if this is the case

[Kelmon @ Mar 11th 2009 12:56PM]

Well, Apple and Google have it "right" in that they have a product. All we seem to get from Microsoft when it comes to Windows Mobile is talk and, honestly, it's getting a little boring. I guess we'll have to wait until the end of the year to see what WinMo 6.5 actually delivers...

[Cander @ Mar 11th 2009 10:07AM]

99$ per year. 99$ per app. AND they take 30%? WTF?

[Ruben @ Mar 11th 2009 10:20AM]

NO!

"Up to five application submissions to Windows Marketplace for Mobile is included in the introductory annual registration fee of $99 (U.S.). Each additional submission within the annual period will cost $99 (U.S.)."

99 per year and 5 app submissions. 99 per app thereafter.

READ!

Source: Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/mar09/03-11WMMDevelopersPR.mspx)

[gareth @ Mar 11th 2009 10:06AM]

epic fail

[Snitch @ Mar 11th 2009 11:24AM]

Am shock! Anyone remember Ballmer making fun of Apple for charging 30% to developers at Mix08? why the F*ck are they doing the same thing if they thought at one time that it was lame?

[Zunavio @ Mar 11th 2009 11:44AM]

Ballmer laugh at everything he can't win.

iPhone
Android
iPod
App Store
Google Search

etc.etc.

[donperry @ Mar 11th 2009 10:05AM]

What the heck? So an instant $198 if i want to develop apps?
It's too expensive. A commission based model will be better for both parties. If the app sucks, it wont sell, the developer wont get paid

[Adderz @ Mar 11th 2009 10:28AM]

To be fair, if it sucks the developer doesnt deserve to get paid.

I think it will be good, only quality apps, not like all the crap i have to wade through on teh likes of Handango etc.

[abib @ Mar 11th 2009 10:52AM]

so MS should do the quality assurance for free? you can submit millions of fart programs that doesnt take more than 1 day of programming and MS should filter and evaluate millions of these crap programs for nothing?

99 dollars is very very reasonable.

[donperry @ Mar 11th 2009 10:57AM]

NO, they could do something smart like implement a flagging system. Users who gets burnt can rate or flag the app. Then it wont be displayed anymore and the submitter will get a low rating that his following apps will inherit. SIMPLE and less expensive on MS's human resource part

[donperry @ Mar 11th 2009 10:59AM]

But u know, on second thoughts this would mean fewer apps and increase my chances of getting discovered or purchased from. So i like the fees from that side

[poke @ Mar 11th 2009 11:33AM]

A flagging system would suck. It just means a competitor would flag an app and have that app taken off. Also what about the person who got burnt? Is that for the good of others?

Why not just vet before hand and only good apps get in. That way you dont have an ebay environment where there are tons of measure to stop people getting burnt but they still do.

peace out!

[Dubb @ Mar 11th 2009 2:05PM]

@donperry

It's $99 to register, after that you get 5 free submissions. After you have submitted 5, then you have to pay $99 for each submit.

[loosely_coupled @ Mar 11th 2009 8:16PM]

$99 for each app.. I wonder if they'll count updates as "unique app reviews"... Typical microsoft BS..

[Kyle Brandes @ Mar 11th 2009 10:09AM]

I think Microsoft doing this will only piss off even more people like me, and everyone else out there who at maybe had a little speck of hope out there for them.


Dear Microsoft:
I know you may see it hard to do so, but please take this into recognition. People may actually like you if you stop ripping them off and giving them all horrible prices on things that will probably be crap anyways.
Sincerely,
A very peeved patron!
I know Microsoft has better potential and doesn't need to do this.

[Look_Around_You @ Mar 11th 2009 10:21AM]

"I think Microsoft doing this will only piss off even more people like me,"

What exactly are they doing?

[LongKnight @ Mar 11th 2009 10:12AM]

How can a company that manages to make a user experience frustrating "ensure that the end user's experience is optimal"?