AT MIX10, Microsoft showcased
advancements in its developer platform technologies. The Windows 7 Phone development platform draws on Silverlight and XNA for game-like development.
Windows Phone 7 Series application development combines Silverlight features for rich application development and the
XNA Framework for games.
They claim that the Windows Phone 7 Series empowers millions of
developers and designers to build visually stunning and immersive
applications and games -- one of the industry's most profitable mobile
application categories -- while taking advantage of device-specific
capabilities.
Developer can leverage the accelerometer, Microsoft Locations service, notifications, accelerated video, Internet streaming, multitouch, camera and microphone capabilities.
"Windows Phone 7 Series brings together a rich
application environment, powerful hardware, a fresh approach to software
and a smart new design," Belfiore said. "It was designed to generate
incredible opportunities for developers and designers to quickly and
easily deliver compelling applications and games. With the best
developer tools, an established ecosystem and marketplace, and a path
for developers to use their Silverlight and XNA Framework skill sets, we
are delivering an application platform that is simple, powerful and
inspiring."
Free Tools for Windows
Phone 7 Series Developers and Designers
To further support an end-to-end development
experience, Microsoft announced the availability of comprehensive tools
support for Windows Phone 7 Series. The easy-to-install package includes
previews of the following:
| • |
Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 |
| • |
Windows Phone 7 Series add-in to use with Visual Studio 2010 RC. |
| • |
XNA Game Studio 4.0. |
| • |
Windows Phone 7 Series Emulator for application |
| • |
Expression Blend for Windows |
A Marketplace for Windows Phone 7 Series
Applications.
Microsoft also showed how
developers and designers will be able to bring applications and games to
market with a new Windows Phone Marketplace. The Marketplace features a
panoramic design and active merchandising to increase the
discoverability of games and applications, and supports one-time credit
card purchases, mobile operator billing and advertising-funded
applications. The Marketplace will also enable customers to try
applications before buying them and allow developers to cross-promote
their applications through deep linking.
Several
leading companies will be creating exciting applications and games for
Windows Phone 7 Series. They include The Associated Press, Archetype
International Inc., AWS Convergence Technologies - WeatherBug, Citrix
Systems Inc., Clarity Consulting Inc., Cypress Consulting, EA Mobile,
Fandango Inc., Foursquare Labs Inc., frog design inc., Glu Mobile Inc.,
Graphic.ly, Hudson Entertainment Inc., IdentityMine Inc., IMDb.com Inc.,
Larva Labs, Match.com LLC, Matchbox Mobile Ltd., Microsoft Game
Studios, Namco Networks America Inc., Oberon Media Inc., Pageonce Inc.,
Pandora Media Inc., Photobucket Inc., PopCap Games Inc., Seesmic, Shazam
Entertainment Ltd., Sling Media, SPB Software Inc., stimulant,
TeleCommunications Systems Inc., Touchality LLC and Vertigo Software
Inc.