developers

Nokia details importance of developer relations for Windows Phone

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Sun, 03/17/2013 - 14:25

Nokia has been able to build important relations with developers to bring apps to the Windows Phone platform, and Lumia hardware in particular. But just how important are said partnerships to the handset manufacturer and Microsoft's mobile platform? The company has Bryan Biniak, VP, Global Partner and App Development, who takes care of apps that are developed for both Asha and Windows Phone.

Developer website WPGeek rebranded, announces available giveaways

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Thu, 03/14/2013 - 11:49

The popular developer resource which aids those who are looking to create content for Windows Phone has been rebranded to better reflect Windows system coverage. WPGeek is now GeekChamp, but fear not as everything remains the same under the hood. The website is sporting a new logo and domain name, with a few giveaways to boot.

Video: Nokia's highlights from Mobile World Congress 2013

Submitted by Jay Bennett on Wed, 03/06/2013 - 14:24

If you were following along with our coverage of MWC last week, you'll know that for Windows Phone it was pretty much the Nokia show. That's not to say that other manufacturers weren't present, simply that Nokia were without a doubt the most proactive in getting the most out of the annual mobile conference.

Now Nokia Developer have posted a very well produced video over on YouTube which gives you a great chance to see everything that Nokia were doing last week (primarily on the Monday). That includes the Nokia Apps Developer Conference (ADC) which we sorely wanted to cover, but were kept somewhat busy with everything else Nokia had to show.

Interview: Marco Argenti, Nokia SVP of Developer and Marketplace division

Submitted by Jay Bennett on Thu, 02/28/2013 - 16:45

Whilst at MWC, Windows Phone Central had the chance to sit down with Marco Argenti, Senior Vice President of the Developer and Marketplace division at Nokia. We had just been checking out the new partner apps being shown off in Nokia’s sizeable booth and were keen to hear more about the relationships Nokia are continuing to build with developers both commercial and indie, especially following the news of Nokia’s new imaging and HERE API features.

You can find the full write up of that discussion after the break.

Microsoft announces 130K apps on Windows Phone Store, strong progress made in 2012

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Mon, 02/25/2013 - 17:53

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Microsoft has announced that the company has passed the 130,000 app marker on the Windows Phone Store. In a blog post on the Windows Phone Developer blog, Todd Brix goes into some detail about how the platform is progressing, as well as how the year 2012 was for the company's mobile machine.

Monitor your apps better with Microsoft's Dev Center App

Submitted by George Ponder on Mon, 02/25/2013 - 10:23

Dev Center is a Windows Phone app from Microsoft designed to give Windows Phone developers a better handle on their app's performances.

While all the performance data is available through Microsoft's Windows Phone Dev Center website, Dev Center app puts all that information on your Windows Phone, allowing developers to track the real world performance of their apps while on the go.

Microsoft releases Windows and Windows Phone Player Framework update

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 21:30

The Microsoft Media Platform team has released version 1.1 of the Player Framework for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. The release includes a number of improvements, and is targeting developers who are building media apps (much like the Vimeo app - pictured above). The framework supports Silverlight, HTML5, Xbox, as well as Windows 8 and Windows Phone apps.

Winners of the Lumia Geek 8-week Challenge announced

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 07:22

Nokia has revealed the winners of its Lumia Geek 8-week Challenge, which was an array of challenges set up by Nokia and Windows Phone Geek - a developer resource. It was also an opportunity for developers to battle against one another, brushing out the cobwebs, improving their apps and ensuring that they had a solid chance on winning.

Need some tips on creating solid Windows Phone apps? Microsoft has some for you

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 17:40

So you're thinking about developing an app for Windows Phone, but how does one create an awesome app for consumers to download and enjoy? Much like our own Windows Phone app - which is highly rated by our readers - there are a number of apps available on the store that are effectively designed for the platform. Microsoft has detailed some pointers on how to make a quality app.

Microsoft announces Alipay support in China for Windows Phone

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 02/06/2013 - 10:41

Microsoft has announced that Windows Phone 8 will support Alipay in China, which adds a key payment option to its mobile platform. The move could potentially boost developer revenue with the number of Windows Phone owners in the country who can purchase rising. Not to mention the the added hardware launches, marketing and further support.

Some useful pointers for submitting incredible Windows Phone apps to the store

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 01/16/2013 - 17:15

The Windows Phone team have published some helpful tips and pointers for developers who are thinking of submitting apps to the Windows Phone Store. They go into some detail, covering the multiple XAPs per GUID, as well as deciding on how to approach the submission. Walkthroughs for three scenarios have been provided for the benefit of those who may find themselves needing a quick helping hand.

Liven up app development with the Windows Phone 8 Emulator skin switcher

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Tue, 01/15/2013 - 09:48

Geert van der Cruijsen has developed a Windows Phone 8 emulator skin switcher, enabling developers who are using tools available to create apps and games to manipulate the look of the emulator itself. A number of smartphones are supported, as well as the different screen resolutions.

We previously looked at the emulator skin switcher for Windows Phone 7, which Cruijsen was also behind. Receiving a number of downloads and requests for a Windows Phone 8 version, we're now here reporting on a new release to cover the latest version of the mobile platform.

Be a star! Microsoft wants your Windows Phone app featured on TV

Submitted by Daniel Rubino on Mon, 01/14/2013 - 16:25

Microsoft has just announced a new developer contest that should make things very interesting both for developers and regular consumers who use their apps every day. The contest, entitled “Windows Phone Next App Star Competition”, will offer up over $1M in prizes to 64 winners but it’s the top spot that should gain the most attention.

Should you win the #1 app, Microsoft will feature your creation on a TV commercial featured in primetime.

The way the contest is structured is very simple. Developers just need to have their apps published by March 5th and users will merely vote for their favorite app based on the ratings (“stars”) they give it in the Store. That means apps with 4 or 5 star ratings starting on March 5th will get ranked higher than ones with 2 or 3 stars...

The Always-On Telephone Windows Phone exhibition at AlphaLabs

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 01/02/2013 - 13:43

Microsoft and Nokia are currently holding developer events alongside the Windows Phone User Group at Modern Jago in East London. Microsoft has rented it out to provide a central location for all platform exhibitions and events to take place - it's a superb building.

Back in December, at a recent WPUG meetup and AlphaLabs event, those who attended witnessed a row of white Lumia 920 Windows Phones on one side of the main conference hall. These handsets were each running an interesting app, more on this in a minute. Modern Jago has become the place-to-go for developers and designers to collaborate and share ideas.

Windows Phone team underline highlights from 2012

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Thu, 12/27/2012 - 07:26

Todd Brix has published a new entry on the Windows Phone Developer Blog detailing highlights of 2012 for Windows Phone. The goal for the team was to establish a new, scalable platform on the mobile phone as well as the cloud. Providing a unique experience for consumers to enjoy when downloading and using apps from a catalogue of apps.

AdDuplex offers Windows Phone advertising gift cards for developers

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Thu, 12/20/2012 - 07:32

The festive holidays are kicking off, and to celebrate Windows Phone (and Windows 8) advertising network AdDuplex has unveiled a number of coupons (or gift cards) that can be redeemed for impressions. It's the most relevant and useful present for any developer to receive, especially if they already make use of the network for their app(s).

Core77 and Windows Phone join forces for design competition

Submitted by Sam Sabri on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 09:14

Fire up Photoshop or Illustrator because design magazine Core77 is running another design competition for Windows Phone. The contest is similar to one a year ago that Core77 did in partnership with the Windows Phone Team, this one is also a joint effort. Back then the contest was called "Fast Track to the Mobile App" and this year is going under the name "App to the Future". Winning submissions will have some nice prizes to look forward too! What's also unique about this contest is that it isn't restricted to North American residents, it's open to every abled designer on the planet.

Windows Phone 8 Jump Start Developer modules now available

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Thu, 12/06/2012 - 17:34

The Windows Phone team has published all twenty modules from its Windows Phone 8 Jump Start training course hosted last week. It was a fast-paced learning experience that focused on showing developers how to create "responsive, appealing and effective apps" in a timely fashion.

What is missing from Windows Phone 8? About 20 Xbox games that no longer work.

Submitted by Paul Acevedo on Wed, 11/28/2012 - 21:02

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Yesterday’s delisting of Turn N Run – literally the night before our review went live, and only six days after the game’s release – highlights a large and ongoing problem in the world of Xbox Windows Phone games. Since the debut of Windows Phone 8, incompatibility with the new OS has been discovered among a number of Xbox WP7 titles. Each of these games has been completely delisted from the web version of the Windows Phone Store, and either partially or fully removed from Store searches on actual Windows Phones.

Read on to learn what games have been affected so far, and how Microsoft may be mishandling the Windows Phone 8 incompatibility issues in more ways than one.

Report: Windows Phone gamers monetising at a higher rate

Submitted by Rich Edmonds on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 14:19

The Windows Phone Store (previously the Windows Phone Marketplace) has been growing at a fairly steady rate since the platform launched back in 2010. The number of apps and games available to consumers to download (both free and paid) is still increasing, and the platform has passed the 100,000 app milestone.

Since Windows Phone is a smaller ecosystem than both iOS and Android, is it worth investing in app and game development? According to data from EEDAR's 2012 Mobile Syndicated Reports, Windows Phone is actually a valid option for developers when it comes to monetisation. According to the reports, Windows Phone users spend more funds in the Store than users on competing platforms.

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