TechEd 09 Update on Windows Mobile 6.5 Development

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Quick Facts from links below:

  • You can register for the marketplace now, application submissions will open up soon.
  • The application fee for submission of an application is $99. This applies to both paid and free apps. To lower the cost, we are offering a promotion through the end of 2009, in which developers and ISVs will get five free application submissions with initial registration.
  • Windows Marketplace for Mobile enables distribution of both free and paid applications. Developers are allowed to encourage users to purchase and download paid versions of applications, which have been downloaded for free. These free versions can be feature-limited.
  • If your application has been previously certified and published in the catalog, you can submit subsequent updates without incurring any additional fees. The application update will be made available through Windows Marketplace for Mobile to all customers that have downloaded your application.
  • If your app is rejected, you will receive an adequate explanation and any associative tests or policy rules that have failed. As the developer, you are expected to address these issues before submitting the app again. Submission fees are not refundable, and you’ll have to repay the submission fee for each time you submit the app (i.e. resubmission counts against one of the five free application submissions listed above.)

Marketplace certification is comprised of four components:

  • Testing to technical standards represented by the Designed for Windows Mobile criteria.
  • Code signing with a normal or privileged mode Microsoft Windows Mobile certificate.
  • Policy checking.
  • Geographic market validation.

To review the guidelines, go to this link and click “Sign Up Now” to display a web dialog with these links:

Updated 5/18 - A link to the Prohibited Application List.  Here is a blog post by one of my peers Frank Prengel who provides additional background and comments.

Here are additional links that became available around TechEd to help developers prepare for Windows Mobile 6.5 and the Application Store:

  • Windows Mobile for Developers home page
  • Windows Marketplace FAQ
  • Engadget has a video covering Windows Mobile 6.5 from TechEd 2009 here

Additional links on Windows Mobile development:

  • Update on Windows Mobile 6.5 from Mix 2009 here
  • Background on the new Widget Framework in WM 6.5 here
  • Windows Mobile Developers Blog here
  • Windows Mobile Developer Center on MSDN here

Hopefully this post helps you navigate the application store guidelines and requirements as well as help you get started building applications for Windows Mobile 6.5.