Microsoft Preps Massive Windows Phone App Hub Expansion
This week is the beginning of Microsoft's biggest push ever for the expansion of their "App Hub" for Windows Phone, developers being tipped to "Prepare now and beat the crowd" for 23 new marketplaces around the world. With the Windows Phone Tango expansion of the mobile operating system made to access devices with lower-tiered specifications for less expensive smartphones as well, Microsoft is now coming at a vast new set of markets in lower-income areas of the planet everywhere from Bulgaria to the Ukraine. This move is set to not only allow Microsoft to sell one whole heck of a lot more phones, but provide a much more lucrative arena for app developers working with their Windows Phone platform.
This new move has the Windows App Hub, that being the App Store for Microsoft's mobile OS, Windows Phone Marketplaces in other words, put into 23 new locations the world over. These locations include Bahrain, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Iceland, Iraq, Israel, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Qatar, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam. Developers have only to visit the App Hub once its been updated to include these markets and tap the markets they'd like to work with.
If instead a developer would like to simply hit "worldwide" they'll be included in the new markets as well. The update coming out now does not include the new App Hub locations yet, with new markets also including certain certifications that you'll need to work with in order to comply with local laws and regulations. You'll have to check out Section 3.10 of Microsoft's content policy to see full details on Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Microsoft is also noting to prospective app developers that there's now a 7 day wait period for app approval for any and all apps before they reach the market. Keep on working with the Windows Phone platform for vast rewards in the future, folks!
[via Windows Phone Developer Blog]