Windows Phone 7, released by Microsoft in November 2010, is designed to compete with Apple's iOS and Google's Android and features customizable tiles that display dynamic content. The platform includes development tools compatible with .NET and Silverlight, allowing for a streamlined app creation process, which is expected to reduce development costs. The Windows Phone Marketplace enables developers to profit from app sales and includes significant support from various carriers and design tools for creating rich user experiences.

1. WINDOWS PHONE 7:
Microsoft’s Entrant to the Smartphone Wars
BACKGROUND and update in real-time. For
instance, the tile for an email ac-
count will automatically update
Windows Phone 7 is the mobile to display the current
operating system developed by number of unread
Microsoft and released in Novem- messages; users have
ber 2010. The WP7 OS is Micro- the ability to add, de-
soft’s answer to Apple’s iOS and lete, and rearrange tiles
Google’s Android OS; it boasts a on the Start screen.
redesigned touchscreen UI, which
uses multi-touch technology and These tiles combine both lo-
is based on Microsoft’s Metro cal and online content via in-
design language. tegration with social networks
like Facebook and Windows
DESIGN Live. The Pictures hub, for exam-
ple, shows photos taken from the
The Metro design language in- device’s camera roll and the user’s
corporates five principles valued Facebook photo albums, and the
by Microsoft: Clean, Light, Open, People hub shows contacts ag-
Fast; Celebrate Typography; Alive gregated from integration with
in Motion; Content, Not Chrome; Zune, Xbox Live (Games hub),
and Authentically Digital. See Bing, Microsoft Office, and Win-
here for more on the Metro de- dows Phone Marketplace.
sign language and how it is used
in Windows Phone 7. APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENT FOR methodol-
From a user experience stand- WINDOWS PHONE 7 ogy to be
point, customizable tiles make
followed
up the WP7 Start screen. Tiles
are linked to important features, The Windows Phone 7 develop- rather than
applications, and individual items ment framework is built so that de- the waterfall
such as phone, music and videos, velopers and designers can work m e t h o d o l o g y
contacts, web pages and MS Of- hand-in-hand. This framework that’s preferable
fice products. Tiles are dynamic allows a true agile development when developing
for iOS and An-
Contact PointAbout at 202.391.0347, info@pointabout.com
or visit www.pointabout.com for more information.

2. droid. same as developing native apps Click to Call and Click to Website
for iOS and Android. Develop- ad features.
Application development envi- ment costs can be expected to
ronments for Windows Phone decrease as Microsoft perfects Leading ad networks like InMobi,
7 include Silverlight, the .NET the development environment. MobClix, and Millennial Media
Compact Framework, and XNA. are among the networks that
Silverlight is powered by the .NET One reason development costs are serving ads on the Windows
framework and is compatible will decrease is the ease with which Phone 7 platform.
with multiple browsers, operating developers can deliver testable
systems, and devices. builds to clients. XAP files can be Reporting features include in-app
sent throughout the development ad analytics, ad inventory, clicks,
Silverlight and .NET are two of the process, which makes changing CPM, and sell-thru rate. As with
most well-known languages by the application mid-stream much other popular platforms, app
developers, which will eventually easier than when developing for publishers also have the opportu-
drive down the cost of develop- the iPhone, iPad, or Android. nity to charge users for their apps.
ing apps for WP7. There have
been over 500,000 downloads of Another reason development USER UPTAKE
the WP7 software development costs will decrease is the number
kit already. of developers already familiar While it’s impossible to say how
with Silverlight and .NET. quickly users will migrate to the
Expression Blend 4 and Visual WP7 platform, some clues can be
Studio 2010 are the primary MONETIZING APPS gleaned from Android’s relatively
design tools for creating WP7 ap- rapid ascendance in the smart-
plications. Expression Blend is an Microsoft’s Advertising Exchange phone marketplace.
advanced user interface design allows publishers to serve tar-
tool that allows designers to as- geted ads to consumers based on In the first quarter of 2010, ac-
semble rich user interfaces, and demographic, carrier, and location cording to research firm NPD,
empower them with Silverlight. targeting. Ads can be displayed in Android accounted for 28% of
Designers using Expression Blend text or image form, and advertis- all unit sales, trailing RIM (36%)
work comfortably alongside de- ers have the opportunity to insert and ahead of Apple (21%). In the
velopers working in Visual Studio. second quarter of 2010, phones
Visual Studio is an integrated
ANDROID OS running Android leapfrogged
RIM to reach 33% of all unit sales,
developer environment that ties MARKET SHARE compared to 28% for RIM and
in to Expression Blend and allows
developers to tackle tasks rang- FOR RECENT 22% for Apple.
ing from design to testing.
AQUIRERS ROSE These upticks in sales led to An-
droid making significant in-roads
DEVELOPMENT COSTS FROM 6% IN Q4 in the percentage of all cell phone
AND TIMEFRAME
2009 TO 17% IN Q1 subscribers tied to Android
phones. The figure rose from 4%
Developing native apps for Win- 2010 TO 27% IN in the fourth quarter of 2009 to
dows Phone 7 costs roughly the 9% in the first quarter of 2010
Q2 2010. to 13% in the second quarter of
Contact PointAbout at 202.391.0347, info@pointabout.com
or visit www.pointabout.com for more information.

3. 2010, according to Nielsen. “Working with PointAbout has
EACH WINDOWS been a terrific experience,” said
Paul Berry, Chief Technology Of-
WHAT’S INSIDE? PHONE HANDSET ficer of The Huffington Post. “As
Every Windows Phone 7 comes WILL CARRY (AT a company that prides itself on
innovative content delivery with
equipped with a Qualcomm 1GHz
Snapdragon application proces-
LEAST) A 1GHZ a unique voice, HuffPost seeks
partners that have both strategic
sor. The Snapdragon processor SNAPDRAGON vision and technical abilities -
includes 3D graphics functions,
support for high-megapixel cam- PROCESSOR, both of which PointAbout offers.”
eras, power optimization, and rich
multimedia features, including
SPECIFICALLY The Huffington Post’s app was one
of the very first to be approved by
HD video recording and playback DESIGNED FOR A Microsoft for consumption on the
abilities.
NEW BREED OF WP7 platform.
The Snapdragon processor was
created to power a new genera-
SMARTPHONES. PointAbout’s VP of Professional
tion of smartphones and tablets. ketplace akin to the iTunes App Services, Pete Johnson, said, “We
Store or the Android Marketplace. are thrilled to be one of the first
mobile application developers to
DEVICES AND CARRIERS
Like the iTunes App Store, purvey- gain expertise in developing for
ors of apps in the Windows Phone Windows Phone. Windows Phone
AT&T and T-Mobile are the exclu- Marketplace keep 70% of profits 7 is showing a lot of promise as a
sive carriers of Windows Phone 7 made from app sales. Payouts to strong platform for the enterprise,
to date. Verizon will reportedly be developers for downloaded ap- and we are prepared to guide
added as a service provider early plications will begin in February companies in the strategy and
in 2011. 2011. The Windows Marketplace development necessary for large-
includes reporting tools that let scale mobile implementations.”
A variety of handsets - nine to publishers and developers know
be precise - have been available how well their apps are perform-
since launch, from Samsung, LG, ing.
HTC, and Dell. Each has its own
distinctive feature(s), ranging from
slide-out vertical and horizontal THE HUFFINGTON POST
keyboards to a built-in kickstand FOR WINDOWS PHONE 7
for hands-free use to a 4.3-inch
display. PointAbout had the opportunity
to develop the Windows Phone 7
WINDOWS PHONE app for the Huffington Post, one
MARKETPLACE of the world’s leading providers
of up-to-the-minute commentary
and coverage.
Windows Phone 7 apps are dis-
tributed through a central mar-
Contact PointAbout at 202.391.0347, info@pointabout.com
or visit www.pointabout.com for more information.