According to a report by Tech Flash, at its ongoing Mobile developers conference, in progress now over at Redmond, Microsoft has been talking to mobile developers about the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and telling developers that Microsoft would encourage high-priced apps in its store, and not reduce the marketplace to a ‘dollar store.’ The dollar store bit is a not so subtle dig at Apple’s App Store.
While the App Store has its share of fairy tale successes, it is certainly true that iPhone development is nowhere near as lucrative as it used to be. When the going was good, most people’s iPhone development efforts were rewarded dramatically. Steve Demeter is an example. But many such successes are mostly a matter of chance, and it is unlikely that iPhone development will allow people make such quick money any more.
Still, the Apple App Store is in no danger of being overtaken by the WIndows Market place. Not even close. If Apple would just get around to stop calculating it’s ‘Top Ten apps’ by just the number of downloads, and also factor in the actually revenue made by the developer–something Microsoft proposes it will do with its App Marketplace–things would improve drastically for iPhone developers, and may make iPhone development a tempting prospect again.
