Microsoft revealed the first public details about Windows Phone 8 at its developer summit last week. Today, the official Windows Phone developer blog has revealed more information about the Marketplace feature for Windows Phone 8. According to Microsoft, "Consumers will be able to browse and download apps in more than 180 countries at launch—roughly three times the 63 markets served today. Developers, meanwhile, will be able to submit apps to those same markets via App Hub, up from 38 markets."
The blog also has a list at the bottom that shows all of the countries that will have Windows Phone Marketplace access for the launch of Windows Phone 8.
The new Marketplace will also allow Windows Phone apps to support in-app purchases and app developers can manage these transactions via the Windows Phone developer App Hub. Microsoft states, "You can specify what you want to sell, choose prices and countries to make it available, and use App Hub reporting tools to generate detailed sales reports."
In addition, businesses can also offer enterprise apps via Windows Phone in a new feature called the Company Hub; app developers can also have their creations pre-loaded on microSD cards for yet another distribution option.
Microsoft is also promising that the next versions of Windows Phone Marketplace and App Hub "have been totally rebuilt from the ground up" to allow Windows Phone apps to be certified and published faster. The blog adds, "Our new architecture makes it possible for us filter apps based on screen resolution and other key characteristics, helping you better target your audience, thus increasing customer satisfaction and lowering your support costs."
Source: Windows Phone developer blog
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