The bizarre world of Microsoft

Microsoft are essentially bribing application developers to create apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 by giving them $100 per app that’s successfully submitted:

Microsoft wants Windows 8 and Windows Phone developers to create apps for its platforms, and it’s tempting them by offering up hard cash. In a new US marketing effort, Microsoft is offering developers $100 per app for newly published applications submitted to the Windows Phone Store or the Windows Store by June 30th. Developers can net $2,000 in total by submitting up to 10 apps to each store.

via Microsoft tempts Windows developers with $100 cash for new apps | The Verge.

I think we can all imagine the sort of apps that this will result in.  The top drawer application developers won’t be interested in $100, what they want is a platform that they feel safe investing their time and effort in ($100 is less than a few hours work).  They want to know that users will get to see and use their apps.

After the decision to provide Windows Phone 7.8 to existing Windows Phone 7 users, instead of a full Windows Phone 8 upgrade, Microsoft is now unveiling the support dates for its latest mobile operating systems… Windows Phone 8 will be supported, with security and other updates, until July 8th, while Windows Phone 7.8 will continue to be supported until September 9th.

So they’ve announced the dates that they will end support for their current mobile OS without announcing a replacement beyond the codename blue.  But I’m sure developers will flock to a platform that has an uncertain future and isn’t being used in great numbers because they’ll get $100.  Sure.