One of the first things consumers look at when checking out a new mobile device is the variety of apps available for the platform, and if early response is any indication, Microsoft is having a hard time attracting developers to Windows 8's new Modern-UI environment.
This represents a big challenge to Microsoft, since its Windows RT devices - the ARM-based tablets designed to compete with the iPad and Android devices - need new-generation apps, as they cannot run legacy Windows software. Without those apps, it's just a tablet with Office and a web browser. And unfortunately for Microsoft, it seems that just 33% of developers are 'very interested' in developing apps for Windows 8, according to a survey by IDC and Appcelerator.
And if you're wondering why, it's definitely not because of Microsoft's lack of trying to get them interested; the company has been hosting 'dev camps' to help developers from all over the world get started developing for the new platform, and next week they're hosting the Build conference at their Redmond campus. Still, it looks like the majority of them are waiting for others to take the plunge.
Len Kawell, co-founder of iOS developer Pepper Networks, says that it'll probably be next year before they give Windows 8 a shot. Until then, they're waiting to see how other developers (and consumers) embrace Microsoft's new platform. The good news for Microsoft is that a few developers are taking the plunge, and that their hypothetical success will probably make the platform more attractive. One of those developers is AllRecipes.com.
AllRecipes Vice President Bill Reller says that Windows 8 is a great fit for their advertising-based business model, and that Live Tiles are perfect for showcasing their featured recipes.
Regardless, Microsoft still has a ways to go when it comes to convincing developers to hop on the Windows 8 bandwagon, and we're sure that they realize how crucial this effort is. Still, as analyst Wes Miller points out, the important thing is that Windows RT offers quality, and not necessarily quantity.
Counting apps, he says, is like comparing "horsepower on a car... The typical consumer doesn't really care. More important is: Does it get done what I want to get done?" For now, all Microsoft can do is hope, and do everything it can to get developers and consumers to embrace Windows 8.
Source: Seattle Times | Image via AllRecipes
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