Microsoft brings startup firms for developing Windows phone apps

Microsoft, the new entrant into the smartphone league with its Mango OS is roping in young developers and startups to make applications (apps) for their Windows Marketplace, the Android app store counterpart.

The effort, Microsoft said, will not only benefit them by procuring some very unique apps but also the startups which would get a platform and assistance from Microsoft for the next 60 days. Apart from this the company will also provide marketing assistance in the form of print and digital advertisements once the apps are up and running.

This is a part of their week-long initiative in Bangalore with many app-developing-startups who were invited to be a part of Microsoft Mobile Acceleration Week. “We are going to invest in promoting these apps,” said Director- Evangelism at Microsoft India, Harish Vaidyanathan. Microsoft and Nokia will jointly invest in India to promote app development from April to June. However, the amount of investment was not disclosed.

Vaidyanathan said that these startups are working with Microsoft and its partners like Nokia to produce some apps that are not available elsewhere on any other app store.

Mukund Mohan, CEO of Bangalore-based startup Vangal is at present developing an app called ‘Hey Maya’ which will do all kinds of boring job, you dislike doing. It works on a voice recognition algorithm and will identify your voice and perform the task on your behalf. “Suppose you have to book rail tickets, you will just have to tell ‘book me railway tickets’ and the app will direct itself to the website and book your tickets,” explained Mohan.

Explaining why Microsoft is looking for such developers, Vaidyanathan said these apps are not only unique but also very simple to use and will strike a cord with most of the users once they are out.

When asked if the app market is already saturated with the presence of Google Play and Apple App Store, Vaidyanathan said that there is a lot more room to explore possibilities of newer apps to grab the market.