SDK for Windows Phone 7.5 apps will arrive in September

IDG News Service - The final version of the Windows Phone SDK 7.1 will arrive at the end of September. It allows developers to take advantage of new features in Windows Phone 7.5, also known as Mango, Microsoft said in a blog post on Tuesday.

The SDK (Software Development Kit) provides users with all of the tools they need to develop applications and games for smartphones based on Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 7.5 . Existing and new applications can take advantage of Windows Phone 7.5 features such as fast app switching, background audio, and better search integration, according to Todd Brix , senior director, Windows Phone Marketplace.

On Tuesday, for developers that want to start now, Microsoft made the Release Candidate (RC) of the SDK available in English and Japanese with a "Go Live" license that lets users publish your their apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace.

The Release Candidate includes a so-called Marketplace Test Kit, which allows developers to test applications for certification requirements on your machine, running the same technical tests that Microsoft uses. Using the kit should dramatically improve a developers chance at passing the first time, Brix wrote.

On Tuesday, Microsoft also began accepting and certifying Mango apps through the App Hub. However, that doesn't mean Mango will arrive on existing devices in the coming days, according to Brix. However, people running early builds of Mango will see these new apps and games, he said.

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