Back when Nokia inked its strategic partnership with Microsoft to support Windows Phone in early 2011, the platform's official marketplace boasted just 7,000 apps.

Little over one year on, and now the Finnish firm claims Windows Phone Marketplace has a total of 80,000 apps on board.

That's according to Nokia's SVP of developer experience and marketplace Marco Argenti, who – speaking in a wider interview with Fierce Developer – said weekly app submissions have risen 300 percent since the firm signed the deal with Microsoft.

Appy about it

Argenti claims exclusive apps for Nokia's handsets have also gained significant momentum since the launch of the Lumia 900 in the US, with the firm's close relationship with Microsoft having been key to its success.

"We try to have as deep a relationship as possible with the developers and provide concrete support, for example providing free devices, and we essentially are facilitating that," said Argenti.

"Nokia really wants to provide that form of support to developers in exchange for trying to make something unique and differentiating for the platform."

In all, Nokia has sent out a total of 17,000 Lumia devices to developers to encourage studios to get on board.

Show me the money

Argenti also discussed how Nokia and Microsoft is ensuring developers are able to monetise on their business.

"We're actually educating and advising developers on how to best distribute and monetize their apps around the world, how to identify segments that might be interested in a specific app, or the right price point for the various markets and so on."

Nokia is currently in the process of rolling out its business development toolkit, which includes analytics, user preferences, design clinics, advice on how to get the most out of your marketplace description, and operator billing.

Argenti explained that operator billing, which is currently supported in the US and other markets, can be a "winning formula" for countries were app monetisation is problematic.

"We currently have operator billing support with 146 operators in 50 markets," he added.

"And when we have introduced operator billing, we have seen increasing monetisation and conversion rate increases of 300 to 500 percent."

[source: Fierce Developer]