It seems like Microsoft is pretty keen on following the footsteps of Google’s Android. Microsoft has announced the new Windows Phone Dev Center, formerly known as App Hub, with improved experience for developers and publishers. Along with this, the Redmond-based company also rebranded Windows Phone Marketplace into Windows Phone Store.
What Microsoft has done now, was done five months ago by Google when the guys decided to give Android a brand new look with a major rebranding – the birth of Google Play.
Windows 8, currently, features the Windows Store, so Windows Phone 8 having Windows Phone Store seems legit and believable. This assertion will become clear for consumers as well. Moreover, even though Microsoft is rebranding its Marketplace name, OEMs like Nokia are already set to change Marketplace icon with their own name and icon.
Digging deep, the new Dev Center has a refined look and is built on more robust and scalable backend, which should make it more responsive. What’s more, the new Dev Center now supports PayPal and supports developers in many more countries. It also features new analytic tools for tracking app downloads and performance. Developers can now find SDK info, forums, etc, in one place under Dev Center.
“The site, an evolution of our retired App Hub developer portal, is designed to provide everything you need to build, publish, and manage apps for Windows Phones around the world. The result of months of careful planning and attention to your feedback, it has new features to help make Windows Phone app development faster and more profitable,” states the official Microsoft blog.
“One of our major design goals for the Windows Phone Dev Center was to improve the account sign-up and submission processes, two areas some of you told us could be better. To that end, it’s now easier to edit and update your account—everything from basics such as your name and address to your tax profile.”
Stay tuned for more updates.
