Microsoft and Nokia Finally Sign Definitive Agreement 95
An anonymous reader writes "Microsoft and Nokia yesterday announced the signing of a definitive agreement regarding their global mobile ecosystem partnership. We already know that Microsoft and Nokia will work together to reach out to developers, but the two have agreed to make Windows Phone developer registration free for all Nokia developers. There are also plans to open a new Nokia-branded global application store that leverages the Windows Phone Marketplace infrastructure so that developers can publish and distribute applications through a single developer portal to consumers that use Windows Phone, Symbian, and Series 40 devices. Lastly, Nokia will contribute its expertise in operator billing to ensure participants in the Windows Phone ecosystem can take advantage of Nokia's billing agreements with 112 operators in 36 markets."
They're out to screw QT, KDE and Linux... (Score:0, Interesting)
... and get Microsoft into the mobile phone space. This is a brilliant deal for Microsoft and the beginning of the end for Nokia.
Nokia shareholders deserve everything that is coming to them for allowing a Microsoft proselytiser to take charge.
Re:Who are they reaching out to? (Score:5, Interesting)
They are trying to reach out to people like me.
Iâ(TM)m working for a big mobile game developer company (hence posting as AC), and I told our CEO, that I'd rather quit and take my whole team with me, than to develop for WP7.
And from talking with others in the industry, including Nokia's own people, I'm by far not the only one.
Developing for Nokia right now, is like buying tickets for the Titanic, shortly after hearing it hit the iceberg. ;)
And I'm saying that as a former level 65 Nokia fanboy.
Re:Who are they reaching out to? (Score:4, Interesting)
13k apps is nice, but phone and app sales aren't all that great now. I was interested in XNA, so I paid the $99. I released a small app first, and it's seen ~300 downloads in a month or two. With ads, I make ~$2-1 per day. I'm hoping my game (when released) will make more, but MS has decided to rank all indie games after Xbox Live games from what I understand.
I could be #1 in sales of all apps everywhere but unless I have the Xbox Live mark, I'm automatically ranked lower, making it hard to find my game. Plus, there's currently no indie game tab. This kind of thing makes me not want to work with the platform, at least for games.