Next Tuesday for 6.5 users, November for older handsets.
Microsoft will launch its Windows Marketplace for Mobile app store next Tuesday for smartphones running the latest version – 6.5 – of its Windows Mobile OS.
However, users with older handsets running WinMo 6 and 6.1 will have to wait until November and the second phase of the store's rollout, according to Todd Brix, Microsoft's director of mobile services marketing (pictured).
“Our plan is to deliver the full Marketplace experience in two phases,” he writes on the company's Windows Mobile Blog.
“First, we’ll launch Windows Marketplace for Mobile with Windows phones on October 6th. We’ve also discussed following this launch with an update that will include support for Windows Mobile 6 and 6.1 by the end of the year. More specifically, we’re targeting November for phase two.”
However, the second phase will be about more than just older WinMo handsets. Brix says November will also see the launch of the “PC based catalog and shopping experience”, as well as user reviews on the store and anti-piracy protection for apps.
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The same blog post says Microsoft is working to respond to developer complaints about the speed of its registration and certification process, including technical details about icons and screenshots, and problems submitting apps for multiple countries.
