Developers to get 70% of Windows Mobile store sales

IDG News Service - Microsoft Corp. said today it will pay developers 70% of sales for applications they develop and sell on a Windows Mobile application marketplace introduced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month.

Microsoft has also released tools to enable developers to build applications for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, which will be offered on Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 software and allow developers to sell thousands of applications to users of Windows Mobile devices. Handsets running Windows Mobile 6.5 should begin shipping in the second half of the year.

The Windows Mobile marketplace is Microsoft's answer to the App Store of iPhone applications that Apple Inc. offers as part of its software for the iPhone, which popularized the idea of buying and downloading mobile applications from the devices themselves.

Developers can download a tool kit to begin building applications for the Windows Mobile marketplace. The tool kit uses development software for Windows Mobile applications, including Windows Mobile 6 SDK, .Net Compact Framework 3.5, Win32, Active Template Library, Microsoft Foundation Classes (Visual C++), Visual C#, Visual Basic .Net, ASP.NET and AJAX.

For an annual fee of $99, developers can sell up to five applications on the marketplace and set the prices for those applications, receiving 70% of fees paid for applications sold, Microsoft said. However, the company will waive the annual registration fee for student developers who are enrolled in the Microsoft DreamSpark program. Developers also may offer free applications on the marketplace if they choose.

Microsoft also said it worked with developers to test and certify their applications to run on Windows Mobile to ensure a smooth experience for end users.

Registration for Windows Marketplace for Mobile will begin sometime in the next few months, and developers will be able to submit applications to the marketplace this summer.