Microsoft wants local ideas for Phone 7 users

Microsoft is courting local mobile developers as it moves towards the launch of its Windows Phone 7 operating system this year.

As IT professionals descended on Microsoft's Tech.Ed conference in Auckland this week for sessions covering everything from cloud computing and virtualisation to online security, there was a lot of talk about the new mobile OS - and the opportunities it offers local developers.

New Zealand is among a handful of countries that will be part of the first wave release of Windows Phone 7 and its companion application Marketplace.

Prototype devices from both Samsung and LG were seen clutched by Microsoft staff and "friendly" developers at Tech.Ed, but were not meant for media hands.

Timing the release alongside countries including the United States, Britain and Australia will give local developers - from professionals right down to students and enthusiastic hobbyists - the chance to make money from their projects in much the same way Apple's AppStore has seen a coding gold rush in the past couple of years.

The AppStore - catering for iPhone and, more recently, iPad - topped a staggering three billion downloads at the beginning of this year, encompassing both paid and free applications.

There is no doubt that Microsoft is facing an uphill battle with Phone 7, no matter how good it is.

It is entering a smartphone market already crowded with worthy competitors such as Apple's iPhone, Google's ever-growing open source Android army and the ubiquitous BlackBerry.

Microsoft's earlier mobile operating systems failed to catch the imagination of the masses, providing an often complex and clunky user experience.

But Windows Phone 7 is a rebuild from the ground up and, with a strong focus on touchscreen tricks and sharing of media between Windows Live and other content caches, promises to be far more user friendly.

Microsoft web development adviser Nigel Parker doesn't believe the company has left its smartphone run too late, and is focused on the Marketplace here being stocked with quality applications for Phone 7's early adopters.

"I'd like to think we'll have four or five showcase applications and 20 or so applications at launch," said Parker.

"The number of developers engaged is huge - we've had almost half a million downloads of the tools for Windows Phone 7."

Developers will pay US$99 ($140) to be able to sell an unlimited number of different applications a year. They will, however, be limited to five "free" applications which, says Parker, is a move to "encourage an ecosystem that's profitable and effective for developers".

Similar to Apple's arrangement, developers will choose the price they want to sell their applications for, and in which individual country's store, and will pocket 70 per cent of the profit.

The remainder will go to Microsoft. The process for getting applications approved and available will be more transparent than Apple's store, in what Parker describes as "what we believe to be a fairer system".

Parker says he is working to get software developers who have tasted success on the iPhone to get involved with Windows Phone 7.

Applications that we saw in action at Tech.Ed included a word game - strikingly similar to a popular board game - that can be played turn-by-turn online, complete with push notifications of other players' most recent moves; and a tourism app called MyTours which allows users to upload their own, personalised, tour guides for cities.

"What I'm doing within New Zealand is working with more of the locally based organisations to ensure that we have apps coming out here that are relevant to us," said Parker.

Several large corporates here are believed to have apps in the pipeline for launch, although others are loath to make the jump too early.

"Organisations are not wanting to invest in something that doesn't exist yet, so one of the things I'm trying to do is ensure we have good New Zealand companies on board for good New Zealand solutions at launch."

Even students are being tapped for clever apps - Parker says the Marketplace programme is available for students gratis, and will hopefully spark some young Kiwi ingenuity while offering an income stream.