Microsoft pays mobile developers to create apps for Windows Mobile 7

Microsoft has a great deallots of money lying around.

Or so it will possibly seem, judging from their latest efforts to lure developers to their fresh mobile platform, Windows Phone 7.

Microsoft is now investing heavily in ensuring that Windows Phone 7 will see many apps already available when it launches in October, in order that consumers who choose to take the plunge and turn to Microsoft’s OS won’t be disappointed by the number and quality of apps available.

The financial incentives that Microsoft is providing developers include free tools and test handsets, but most notable is that Microsoft can even outright fund app development and marketing. In some cases, it could possibly even provide revenue guarantees. this implies that if an app doesn’t come to be selling in addition as Microsoft has anticipated, they’re going to pay the developer the variation between the projected and actual sales.

Pretty compelling stuff in case you’re a developer.

This aims to resolve the ‘chicken and egg’ problem that often arises with a brand new mobile platform. Developers usually are looking to wait and notice if the platform is successful in sales before pouring any money and energy into supporting it. The platform’s success, however, depends more and more nowdays on the strength of the apps which are available for it.

Microsoft has used similar compensation schemes for Windows Mobile, but this time the sums involved are much higher. Yet, not in any respect unexpectedly, Microsoft has declined to speak numbers.

At least four app makers that currently develop for other mobile platforms were approached before by Microsoft and offered the package of incentives described above.

And it feels like many more established mobile developers have to be expecting a choice from Microsoft soon.

Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s biggest gamble within the mobile space yet. and they need it to be a hit, otherwise they won’t have the ability to stop their market share from collapsing.

This strategy feels like a decent idea, and if executed right, may make Apple’s app advantage less obvious by the time the first Windows Phone 7 handsets shall be available.

Via Bloomberg