Windows Phone 7 developer tools now available

Mobile application developers will now have access to the full suite of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 tools following the release of the company's final Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools.

The tools enable developers to write apps and games for the Windows Phone 7’s Marketplace, which will launch in early October. The handset is also expected to make its debut later in the same month.

The developer tools feature Visual Studio 2010 Express, Express Blend 4, Silverlight, XNA Game Studio, Windows Phone Emulator and a Phone Registration Tool.

Developers will need to download the tools package, which is available for free on Microsoft’s website, in order to submit their apps into the marketplace.

Microsoft advised developers to download the updated tools, as apps made with an older version of the tools will “fail application certification in the marketplace”.

However, other reasons for failing to obtain app certification can also include content that contains sex/nudity, glamourisation of extreme violence or promotes any other handset that is not a Windows Phone.

In a blog post Microsoft noted the increased involvement of its developer community in the creation of the new tools.

“The feedback we received since our initial release in March has enabled us to make some changes, resulting in a better finished product,” wrote Microsoft’s Brandon Watson in the post.

“The community was also instrumental in ensuring that key controls were made available with the developer tools.”

As reported by Computerworld Australia the release of the Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools indicates Microsoft’s new determination to establish itself in the mobile industry.