Listing apps in Windows Store

tcawley29

Hi guys,
I'm starting third year software development in September. I was thinking about developing apps for windows phone and want to find out is it worth my while.
What sort of fees am I looking at for a microsoft developer account and how much am I going to lose per app sold.
Have you, yourself had any success with your own windows store apps for windows phone and would you recommend going to the hassle starting if you had to do it again.
As regards learning how to do this, I should be fine as I have been studying WPF using C# for the last year in college and I am quite good at it.
Thanks,
Thomas

Diddy Kong

Best to head over to the Windows Phone Dev Center -> here. Currently its $19 to sign up for a year and allows you to submit unlimited paid apps to Windows Phone Store. You can also submit up to 100 free apps.

As far as I remember (open to correction here) but MS take a 30% cut of the price.

tcawley29

Thanks,
got the account for free because I'm a student. DO i have to pay any taxes off my 70% or do Microsoft pay the taxes.
Can you recommend me an affordable phone to buy for this aswell.
Also, is there any tricks to handling different resolutions of different phones
Thanks,
Tommy

Graham

No, Microsoft will not pay the tax on any income you generate.

Windows phones all adhere to a minimum spec defined by Microsoft so any of the current phones on the market can be used for development. Just make sure you are buying one with a current version of Windows mobile. The Microsoft developer program will advise the current minimum specification.

There is loads of information on resolution handling. Microsoft would be a great starting point: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsphone/develop/jj206974%28v=vs.105%29.aspx

moikey

With selling apps for Windows Phone, you have to sell a certain amount first before they send you money (think it's around 100 Euro). I have a few apps on the Windows Dev store for about a year and still waiting to pass that amount (and one is a really good app, I will post it in the "show us your apps" sticky). If I had the choice I would've done all my apps for Android but my lecture was whoring himself out to Microsoft I kid I kid, Android is written in Java (more resources on the net and Android has the majority of the smartphone market and will continue to as well.

Graham

moikey wrote: »

Android has the majority of the smartphone market and will continue to as well.

Anecdotal evidence may suggest that Android has a larger percentage of the market in terms of 'shipped devices' but you need to weigh that against the fact the iOS App Store generates more revenue. I'm not turning this into an Android/iOS debate but it is something to consider.

Regardless of that, if an App is not selling well on one platform, Id rethink the App before writing it for another.

Don't all App Stores/Markets have a minimum payment threshold?