The lack of compatibility of Windows Phone 7 with applications developed for previous versions of Windows Mobile did not please the development community, but Microsoft is making a further effort to involve programmers and web designers on the new mobile platform that it will launch this year. .
The MIX10 conference, which takes place in Las Vegas, set the stage for this intention, with the launch of several free development tools that are now available for download, including Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone and an add-in for Visual Studio 2010 RC, as well as an application test emulator.
The development platform is based on Silverlight, which also debuted a new beta version, and on XNA, and the objective is to guarantee programmers “super productivity”, to develop innovative applications and with the best experience for users and taking advantage of features integrated into the new phones.
“Windows Phone 7 combines a rich application environment, powerful hardware and a new approach to software and smart design […] It was designed to generate incredible opportunities for programmers and designers to develop applications quickly and easily, “said Joe Belfiore, vice president of Windows Phone Program Management.
The application store is a fundamental component of this strategy and Microsoft has not forgotten it, having shown at the conference a presentation of the new Marketplace that will be launched later and that includes a new design that allows easier application search, support for single payment by credit card and also billing via operator, as well as models based on advertising. Users will also be able to try apps before they buy them.
Some companies have started to develop applications for the new Windows Phone 7, including the Associated Press (in the image below), Fandango, Photobucket, Matchbox and Vertigo, among others.
At the conference, new prototypes of mobile phones with Windows Phone 7 were also presented, and it was confirmed that the HTC2 will not be updated to receive the new version of the Microsoft mobile platform.
Another piece of news that may not have “gone down well” was the confirmation that Windows Phone 7 does not support multi-tasking, as with the iPhone. The possibility of expanding memory in the terminals is also out of the question, so it is worth buying a mobile phone already equipped with “enough memory” for the type of use you want to make.
During the MIX10, other developments related to the development for the Internet and mobile networks are also expected, including a preview of the new Internet Explorer, version 9.
