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In a mobile application market dominated by Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, Microsoft’s Windows 8 platform (Win8) has already got the thumbs up from the developer community.
Easy payment gateways and better user interface are said to be the key differentiators compared with its predecessors as of now.
According to Vaideeswaran Sethuraman of Divum, a developer, Win8 is integrated with a number of devices and is the first device outside the Apple ecosystem that allows seamless user experience between gadgets.
“The platform can help developers with a better monetisation model. It is a promising platform,” Sethuraman told Business Line . The company has already developed three apps (on behalf of a third party) on the Win8 platform and a Formula1 racing app.
Revenue Sharing
“Currently, some port-in is required where mobile apps can be used across devices such as desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and mobile devices,” he added.
The added advantage of Win8 is that a developer can have his own payment gateway to monetise this app upfront. This means one can purchase the app directly through the store.
Moreover, Microsoft has announced a new revenue sharing model of 75:25 (app developer : ecosystem); and an 80:20 model when app sales cross $25,000.
“We have been eagerly waiting for the launch as Windows is the third most popular platform after Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) platforms. We want to be there,” Kalyan Manyam, Chief Executive Officer of Mojostreet (a location-based information service provider for mobile users and service providers), said.
The main attraction, Manyam maintains, is that the Windows app store is relatively less populated and an early entry there increases the chances of getting noticed.
Integration
Interestingly, developers such as NextWave’s S. Rajendran point to the other advantages, which include better integration with other game engines (such as Utility).
Predominantly known for cricket games on handsets, the company is betting on a better user experience for the gaming apps developed on Win8.
DisneyUTV is already porting some of its popular titles to Win8.
“The Android ecosystem is fragmented and developers need to configure apps according to devices. The experience also varies between devices,” Vishal Gondal, managing director – digital, DisneyUTV said.
He adds that Microsoft already has a billing system via partner Nokia, which hastens monetisation of apps.
Analysts' Take
Analyst Kunal Bajaj, however, maintains the cheer by the app developer community needs to be complemented by an equal traction of Win8-enabled smart-devices in the market. Unless that happens, all revenue models are bound to fail.
“Initially, the response has been positive and developers’ cost will go up. But there has to be good offtake of Windows-enabled handsets first,” he adds.
>kurmanath.kanchi@thehindu.co.in
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