Microsoft will finalise the code for Windows Phone 7 by mid-September iso that it can hand developers the tools to finish working on apps for the mobile operating system.
The software development kit (SDK) for Windows Phone 7 will arrive 16 September, letting developers update their apps to be included in the Marketplace for launch.
We’re giving developers plenty of time to write their apps before launch
Microsoft hasn’t said when the final version of Windows Phone 7 will be shipped to handset manufacturers. William Coleman, OS and mobile product manager lead, said the company was sticking to its line that the software would be released at the end of summer. The Marketplace for the apps is set to open in early October.
Microsoft has advised developers not to wait until next month to work on apps. In order to be ready to go at launch, it said developers should finish their work using the beta SDK, and then recompile for the final version.
The release will add a few new tools since the beta arrived, including new controls for Silverlight and Bing. “There won’t be any major breaking changes” between the beta and the RTM, Coleman told PC Pro.
“We’re giving developers plenty of time to write their apps before launch, so they can ride the wave of launch and be one of the first to market, which we know developers want,” he said.
Microsoft will also be trialling how developers interact with Marketplace, in order to ensure a better experience than rival app stores, he said. “The whole submission process is a transparent and open process,” he said, adding developers will be able to track their app through the approval process.
“We understand it’s a real bugbear right now for developers with other companies. They’re submitting apps and then not knowing what’s going on and waiting a long time,” he said. “This is where Microsoft’s going to step up the game in that respect.”
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