Microsoft Paying Companies Thousands To Develop For Windows Phone

A mobile operating system is only as good as the apps it offers, with limited app offerings driving users into the arms of other platforms. It is such a philosophy that prodded Blackberry to lure in developers with a myriad of financial incentives, and Microsoft has enacted a similar incentive plan for developers. Word has it company is also paying businesses quite a bit to create Windows Phone apps.

The information comes from Ashlee Vance over at Businessweek, where she says sources with knowledge of the subject says Microsoft is paying $100,000+ to companies in exchange for creating Windows Phone apps. This information was elaborated on by Windows Phone's chief marketing officer Thom Gruhler.

According to Gruhler, Microsoft currently has 145,000 apps, of which there are 48 of the top 50 most downloaded. The two big notable exceptions that still allude the platform are Instagram and Pinterest. Back in April, it was suggested by Nokia Sweden that Instagram is heading for Windows Phone at some point in the future, although nothing official was stated and no timeline was provided.

Unfortunately, it wasn't specified what companies Microsoft has paid to create apps, nor what apps are the result of such funding being shelled out. Back in March, we reported that Microsoft is running an incentive program to get apps developed for its Windows Phone platform, giving $100 for every app that is submitted and approved.

That incentive program ends later this month, and has a $2,000 total earning cap per developer, which still represents a hefty number of apps. The incentive money is paid via virtual Visa cards. There is also a revenue-share incentive, with Microsoft giving 80-percent of revenue to developers of apps that pull in $25,000 or more in sales.

SOURCE: Ars Technica