VentureBeat: “WP as 2nd platform? More developers plan to start developing for Windows Phone than any other platform”

VentureBeat reports that “more developers plan to start developing for Windows Phone than any other platform”. The key word in the phrasing in “plan to” because the majority of these developers are already working on iOS and Android.

But that’s still quite a positive for the platform given that it’s now the developers that make or break it.

“35 percent are planning to develop for Windows Phone in the third quarter of 2013 — more than the 26 percent thinking of iOS — is likely to have a significant impact on the number of Windows Phone apps.”

http://venturebeat.com/2013/07/17/6000-mobile-developers-android-most-popular-ios-most-profitable-windows-phone-most-next/

Apparently the average developer now makes apps for 2.9 ecosystems simultaneously. That’s down from 3.2 in 2011, and VentureBeat feels that BB has fallen out of favour.

With space only for three platforms, it’s good news to hear WP edging in third position. These are Windows Phone specific apps, either originals from the developer or third party apps all built for WP (versus horrendous ports on an emulator – the gist I got from speaking with @SamJPullen about BB ‘apps’).

VB notes that the developer interest is actually down from last quarter and there’s tough challenges ahead for MS to break that Duopoly between Android and iOS.

An interesting point they make is how WP could become the second platform sooner than you’d think. This is based on WP’s potential to displace iOS.

http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/16/windows-phone-jumps-to-third-in-global-smartphone-market-share-and-could-be-second-faster-than-you-think/

Potential? Yes, everything has potential. Likelihood on the other chance is possibly not so high, especially given what we’re seeing MS is doing with Windows Phone. But hey, they could still positively surprise us.

Category: Nokia