Nokia hints to positive steps for WP apps
With Windows Phone 8 continuing to be criticised for its lack of high-profile applications, Nokia’s head of developer relations has claimed the platform is ‘getting there’ in terms of app support.
Discussing the platform’s continuing struggle to attract high-profile apps and key developers, Bryan Biniak, Nokia’s Vice President and General Manager of Developer Experiences stated simply: “I think we’re getting there.”
Despite now having the likes of Instagram and WhatsApp on board, WP8 has consistently lagged behind iOS and Android in adding the big name apps.
Although plans were recently confirm for a BBM Windows Phone app to be launched in the summer, this much loved messaging service hit iOS and Android handsets last autumn. According to Biniak, however, this common launch discrepancy could be on the cusp of changing.
“I think that the biggest thing that has happened so far is that we have 30 million devices in the marketplace so that’s a pretty significant motivation for developers to support the device,” he said.
“They are starting to see the volumes that support their business models.”
He added: “At the end of the day it’s about how many downloads, how much money are you going to make me and really supporting developers in that effort.”
Despite his optimistic view for the platform’s future, Biniak has been realistic in addressing the operating system’s ongoing lack of prompt developer support.
“If you look at the gaps – and we just announced Adobe, we announced BBM – there is only a few of those top developers that are missing,” he told us.
“For some of them it’s just about where they are in their own development priority and for some of them it’s just about scale.”
Looking at how to entice this currently untapped developer base, Biniak stated: “There is a tipping point for them that when the install base is there we can support their business model.
“I think you have some game developers in particular doing extremely well, some of which are going public, so they want to see some comfortable numbers. I think we’re getting there.”
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