Windows Mobile App Store Rival In The Works

Author	Gordon Kelly
Published	3rd Sep 2008

Windows Mobile App Store Rival In The Works

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Still catching up on a few bits and pieces from our IFA extravaganza has meant this little gem almost slipped through the net: Microsoft is the latest company to be taking on App Store.

Coinciding with Google's launch of Android Market is Window Mobile 'Skymarket' - Microsoft's own attempt to create a centralised on-phone store for third party applications.

The news broke thanks to a Microsoft online advert for 'Senior Product Manager - Skymarket' and was surprisingly (deliberately?) explicit as the position spelt out its aims for the service. Keymost being:

A commercial launch with Windows Mobile 7
An initial launch to developers this fall (Englishified: Autumn)
A heavy marketing budget
Centralised payment centre for app developers
Direct contact with network operators

Now I know things move quickly in the technology sector but this seems to give Microsoft and whoever the new employee may be just a few months to produce the first beta so I suspect the company has been fumbling around with this for some time (since, say July?).

In all fairness, consumers do seem far happier installing applications through a centralised portal whether it be on a PC or the handset directly so Microsoft has no other choice than to go down this route. It may even claim it had the idea before its great Cupertino based rival but in this dog eat dog world all that counts is getting a successful working version out to the public and in this regard Microsoft has to play catch up...

Link:
via i started something