Microsoft's Marketplace for Mobile developer portal now open for business

Remember the 12 rules of Windows Marketplace for Mobile Microsoft posted a few weeks back? For coders, those were just the beginning. The Windows Mobile Developer portal is now live, serving pages upon pages of PDFs with rules, regulations, and plenty of fees, too. A 10-page license agreement describes the account fee ($99 per year), transaction fees (30 percent of each sale), and, most importantly, the license fee, which is the monthly amount paid out to the developer based on their app sales. A further 32-pages worth of submission guidelines advise on everything a registered developer needs to know to get an app through certification, including thrilling subjects like shortcut placement and icon design, DLL installation directories, and details of the fearful Hopper test -- two hours of random inputs and waterboarding. Apps will also be tested for memory leaks and to ensure that they play nicely with on-screen keyboards, two things many current third-party WinMo CABs have issues with. Marketplace will drop whenever Windows Mobile 6.5 starts hitting handsets -- officially, that is.

[Thanks, the::unwired]

[jens @ May 13th 2009 7:28AM]

Sad story

[superhobo @ May 13th 2009 8:39AM]

You must be the first to say that. What makes it sad?

[Mitch @ May 13th 2009 8:58AM]

@superhobo, he's sad because this will make the iPhone obsolete..... I kid, I kid!

[Paul a. Chapel @ May 13th 2009 10:13AM]

The last time Microsoft opened a store it didn't do so hot.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gamerbytes-study-shows-disappointing-sales-for-xna-community-gam/

"Considering certain independent iPhone App developers have been making towering mountains of cash, you'd think that the financial status of the XNA Community Games market would be just as favorable. However, according to a recent report from GamerBytes, who dug up the sales figures of a number of XNA titles, this couldn't be further from the truth -- the combined sales total of the 24 titles they tracked was a mere 23,907 purchases, with an underwhelming conversion rate (ratio of people who purchase a game to total demo downloads) of just 7.1 percent."

[Platinum_Skeet @ May 13th 2009 12:34PM]

The biggest factor of why this statistic doesn't translate well on Xbox360 is because in the early stages of development. If a game is starting to prove more than worthy the developer ups the development costs and makes it a XBLA title.

The stats don't take into consideration 2 key factors...

1. The games are competing with XBLA games that have better quality for around the same price.

2. Any game that has better quality than average is taken out from the XNA category and put in with the XBLA category.


Honestly compared to what support Sony and Nintendo have to distribute Independent titles (which is none). I think it's great. It's just if you've seen the quality of the XNA titles compared to the XBLA titles or all the add-on packs for consoles today. $2 isn't worth the shot of a low quality game when you can get a proven title for $4 or add-on's to the game you play regularly for the same price...

[John @ May 13th 2009 1:39PM]

Sony has some support for independent games - Everday Shooter is on PSN, and i purchased it well over a year ago.

[knwldg0010 @ May 13th 2009 1:56PM]

Is it me or does it look like a Zune?

[insky @ May 13th 2009 6:28PM]

That's because it is a Zune...A first generation Zune to be exact.

[knwldg0010 @ May 13th 2009 7:12PM]

I just thought it was interesting how it's on microsoft's own website with the windows 6.5 interface on a zune mock up.

[Maestro @ May 13th 2009 7:44AM]

I would expect that if this takes off, and a there already is a pretty large winmo user base, you will see a lot of your favorite apps from the iPhone ported in one way or another to MS Marketplace. While the piss and venom runs high with fanboys, the app developers see one thing...green (or whatever color your money is).

[CreepinJesus @ May 13th 2009 7:48AM]

Yellow, red, green, blue, brown, purple in order of smallest to highest valued notes.

[jakem @ May 13th 2009 8:01AM]

That's right and we saw exactly the same thing happen when Apple's App Store opened - your favourite WinMo apps were ported over to work on the iPhone.

[Steveorevo @ May 13th 2009 10:57AM]

Ported my ass! I'm sure if and when developers start to make comparable apps for winmo it will be spent copying iPhone's UI. Have you ever tried Remote Desktop on winmo or a dropdown combo box? Without multitouch, it's a joke. These are two native features in WinMo that work outstandingly better on iPhone. Give me pinch and squeeze over a toothpick stylus any day. iPhone's are as cool as MS surface except that it works and it's actually useful.

Now if Nokia would get an integrated AppStore online...

[Daza @ May 13th 2009 7:45AM]

Are developers subject to approval of applications or are they free to upload what they want on Marketplace? Obviously you can just distribute your own apps freely away from the marketplace, but it would be interesting to see if they had any absurd approval requirements.

[Magallanes @ May 13th 2009 11:28AM]

AFAIK, you will need a sign as a developer and a sign for every application, both cost $99 and both must pass the certification process. I don't think that you can be able to install a unsigned application in any "winmo powered" devices, not at least without applying a hack.

[MioTheGreat @ May 13th 2009 12:03PM]

You always have been, and will continue to be able to install whatever you damned well please on your WinMo phone. The restrictions are just for things to be in the Marketplace.

[apple nerd without a cause @ May 13th 2009 7:45AM]

i wonder how boring it is for you guys having to read all of this crap and then summarize it. I know i will be called a fanboy but whatever

[JamesR @ May 13th 2009 8:24AM]

I was thinking the same thing.

Then I thought about what it would be like to have a job where my only deliverable was short witty blurbs. I think the Engadget writers have a pretty sweet gig :). If only I had any talent for writing....

[Jagster @ May 13th 2009 11:38AM]

"If only I had any talent for writing...."

I think they have proven over and over again that no such talent is needed. Although, you do need to have a deep contempt of Microsoft and all things not made by Apple that competes with Apple.

[Mr305 @ May 13th 2009 8:39AM]

Ah! So finally we have yet another Xerox machine Corporation.

[Pontro! @ May 13th 2009 9:25AM]

That homesceen is totally a ZUNE knockoff !!

[Mr305 @ May 13th 2009 9:28AM]

^
No, This is concerning Microsoft vs Apple.

[poke @ May 13th 2009 9:36AM]

@Mr305 I believe he was poking fun at your unoriginal comment. Sarcasm escapes some when in written form.

[roach @ May 13th 2009 10:08AM]

So hopefully fees will reduce the number of fart apps.

[Justin @ May 13th 2009 10:15AM]

Well this will be great.

WHENEVER THEY RELEASE THE DAMN SDK.

/goes back to twiddling thumbs, staring blankly at 6.5.

[chris @ May 13th 2009 1:37PM]

Well the windows mobile 6 sdk has been around for 2 years...
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=06111A3A-A651-4745-88EF-3D48091A390B&displaylang=en

and sdk for windows 5 which still installs on windows mobile 6 has been around since 2005
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=06111A3A-A651-4745-88EF-3D48091A390B&displaylang=en

Your thumb's time would have been better spent typing on your windows mobile phone

[Justin @ May 13th 2009 2:05PM]

The Windows Mobile 5 & 6 SDKs aren't going to assist in CHome and Titanium Development.

Smartass.

[Magallanes @ May 13th 2009 11:23AM]

damn, the application fee simply is killing the developer of free/value application.

Iphone business model is still way better.

[Jagster @ May 13th 2009 12:00PM]

Are you sure about that? Apple is not known as being a developer friendly company, especially when compared to Microsoft which is known as one of the most dev friendly companys out there.

Lets see, the Microsoft fees are $99 to play, and a 30% cut of the sales. So far that sounds EXACTLY like the iPhone dev fees. But with Microsoft, the dev gets 70% of the sale plus, based on the Engadget post, a monthly bonus based on number of sales. I haven't heard about Apple giving out such a bonus to developers.

On top of that, lets see how else Apple treats the iPhone app developers:
-- Apple’s iPhone App Refund Policies Could Bankrupt Developers --
"... if iPhone users decide that they want a refund for an app (users can get a refund within 90 days, according to Apple policy), Apple requires that developers give back the money they received from the sale. But here’s the kicker—Apple will refund the full amount to the user and says that it has the right to keep its commission. So the developer not only has to return the money for the sale, but also has to reimburse Apple for its commission. Apple charges a 30% commission on all paid apps sold through the App Store. So basically, developers get 70% of a given sale but if the end-user wants a refund, the developer has to pay Apple 100% of the sale."
"With these fees, Apple is pointing a big red arrow at why developers shouldn’t be developing for the iPhone—namely, they’re at the mercy of Apple, which is making a habit of treating its developers like dirt."
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/25/apples-iphone-app-refund-policies-could-bankrupt-developers/

So how exactly is the iPhone business model better? Unless you are talking about better for Apple and not the developers.

[HTCMogul.Info @ May 13th 2009 2:00PM]

I don't think Engadget was saying that they get a bonus...I think they were just talking about the actual payment for the app's sales (The 70%).

And as for the App Store refund policy I have not seen any developers get bankrupted by App refunds, have you? I have an iPod Touch and I buy apps on there, a few which have been crap. But the time I would waste trying to get a refund is worth a bit more than the 99 cents I paid for the app.

[Magallanes @ May 13th 2009 2:15PM]

The refund policy is a normal practice and i don't think that MS will void to apply it.

The real problem with the Microsoft Marketplace is you must pay $99 for every "application" (plus $99 x year for developer signature).

Of course, $99 is for the evaluation process, so if you are approved then fine, but if you are rejected then may be you must pay again for the whole process. iStore instead is free, the certification process is pretty painless.

[elliot.sawyer @ May 13th 2009 11:32AM]

Just out of curiosity, is there a Windows Mobile phone that supports location-awareness like the iPhone or the G1?

[Jagster @ May 13th 2009 11:43AM]

All of them. "Location awareness" is just using a GPS sensor or triangulation of the cell towers and is up to the software to utilize that. Both Google Maps and Live Search for WinMo use both methods and of course any GPS app you find on WinMo will utilize, well, GPS.

[SirronTM @ May 13th 2009 11:38AM]

That does all sound a little dissapointing initially; I was hoping for more freedom for developers. On the other hand, it has to do something to improve the quality of software for winmo devices, which generally leaves a lot to be desired; I've played games where the screen is unfixably the wrong way round, and some cab'd applications just don't even bother to create shortcuts. I remember when microsoft released the guidelines for Vista developers; it was a bit fruitless because making use of all the transparency and so on that people expect from Aero meant alienating XP users, but I do think they're on the right track when trying to standardise the user experience, not just accross the operating system but even to third party applications. I mean, if I choose a theme for my operating system, I prefer that look to be uniform, accross everything - like GTK applications on Gnome and the Tango icons project.

The fees are inexcusably high though, I don't think MS is in a position is be quite so money-grabbing if they're serious about competing with the app store (and the iphone platform generally). Let's just hope that apps that meet the guidelines aren't then subject to the random mess of a process apple puts apps through, that way at least apps that apple repels will get onto winmo devices - which might even make apple loosen up a little.

[MioTheGreat @ May 13th 2009 12:05PM]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading something about Microsoft waiving the fees for developers in the beginning, no?

[Jagster @ May 13th 2009 11:42AM]

All of them. "Location awareness" is just using a GPS sensor or triangulation of the cell towers and is up to the software to utilize that. Both Google Maps and Live Search for WinMo use both methods and of course any GPS app you find on WinMo will utilize, well, GPS.

[Jagster @ May 13th 2009 11:46AM]

UGH!! The Engadget comment system strikes again! Engadget, when are you going to fix this stupid thing. I know your "writers" are not very talented, but apparently neither are your "webmasters".

This was intended to be a reply to elliot.sawyer above.

[Jubei @ May 13th 2009 11:46AM]

"Marketplace" - Being one the last "me too" players in this area, perhaps Microsoft should reconsider naming it "Flea Market", "Swap Meet", "Bottom Barrel Sales", "Fish Market". Any of these would be fine to help differentiate themselves among the others. Probably the best name would be "Bottom Barrel Goods". After all Microsoft new mantra is "We're Cheap", were not as good as the competition, but were "CHEAP"!

[Epsilon-Not @ May 13th 2009 12:29PM]

Because being cheap is now a bad thing?

[Jubei @ May 13th 2009 12:35PM]

*sigh* Microsoft fans can never look beyond their their blinders. I'll point it out for you. In general terms, cheap equates to: inexpensive because inferior quality, cheap because its crappy, cheap because its not as good as the competition.

[Epsilon-Not @ May 13th 2009 12:45PM]

Well, it is a general rule that cheaper products are of inferior quality... Or theoretically anyway, not always the case, but in that case it's the expensive product seller's fault for overpricing their product.

But if an inferior product is priced less I don't see what the problem is, since the consumer can judge based off of their wants and needs- and creating an application market is making Windows Mobile better anyway, for at least some value of better... does it reach the level of the competition? It's subjective- to some WinMo has already surpassed the competition, to some (I suppose you would fall into this category- probably I would too, actually) the application market isn't anywhere near enough... but making it easier to get apps onto the device is hardly a bad thing.

Of course, I do agree that it is a "me too" move- of course, WinMo (or Windows CE) in general was a "me too" to make sure Palm OS couldn't dominate the PDA market, (at the time thought to be the future of PCs) but today WinMo has (Feature wise, not performance wise) surpassed Palm OS- multitasking, etc. (But my Centro still runs better than any WinMo device, especially Professional)

[Dro @ May 13th 2009 1:31PM]

I hope we get some great apps for winmo. I love my HTC Pro, but I could sure use a few cool apps.

[Guru @ May 13th 2009 1:58PM]

What a fail!
Trying to clone app store n f'ing it all up.

[Guru @ May 13th 2009 2:12PM]

How is it that apple store has in just 1 year raped n schooled microsoft windows mobile?y

[Demo @ May 13th 2009 2:18PM]

So unlike the App Store, developers will actually know how to get their apps approved because they have it spelled out for them? Sounds pretty awesome.

[DeoWulf @ May 13th 2009 10:14PM]

As an end user, I kind of like those fees. Sure, they could serve to be lower, but it makes submitting an application a real gamble. Is submitting your fart app worth the fees? If not, one less crApp (coined it!) in the marketplace. If developers gamble they will gamble to WIN, and that means quality programs. And as far as I know, applications can still be distributed for free through other services and installed onto devices manually?

[Tim Layton @ May 29th 2009 11:38PM]

There is no doubt the windows mobile marketplace will be a huge success for both developers and users alike. We are all excited and waiting for the timline...