Windows Phone 7 App Submission Opens November 3

On November 3, Windows Phone 7 app submission will be open to all registered Windows Phone Marketplace developers.

Please take full advantage of your Marketplace developer account by planning to submit your Windows Phone 7 apps or games after the submission process opens on November 3.

How to Submit Your Application to Marketplace

You can find a full walkthrough of the application submission process here. Once submitted, it typically takes 3–5 business days for your app to be certified and then published.

Since the App Hub and the submission process are still new, please let us know if you experience any problems or have questions through our support forums. We’re looking forward to making your apps available in Marketplace.

Updated Tools Available

Last week we released an update to the Windows Phone developer tools. The update, available here, provides:

• A new Bing Maps Control that improves map performance during user gestures
• The Capability Detection Tool, which scans your application and reports on detected phone capabilities that will be applied during ingestion to marketplace.
• The WP Connect Tool, with which you can create a connection between the Windows Phone and your PC without requiring Zune to be running, so you can debug media APIs.

More information on the Capability Detection Tool is available here, and details on the WP Connect Tool are here. The update requires that you have the Windows Phone Developer Tools installed and that language/locale of the update and developer tools match.

Check Out the Updated Application Policies

On October 29, we’ll be publishing an update to our application content policies. The biggest changes include a reduced maximum file size and updated guidance for apps that run under a locked screen. Please take a moment to visit App Hub to review all the policy updates before submitting your Windows Phone 7 apps and games for certification.

Microsoft Platform Ready

Join Microsoft Platform Ready for technical assistance, free training, and marketing help for your Windows Phone 7 application.

Also check out my next post on Top Seven Tips to Getting Your Application Approved.

Bruce D. KyleISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation