There's one area, however, where many believe Microsoft's platform is found wanting: Windows Phone Marketplace.
The store itself looks swish enough, but according to Fraser MacInnes former PocketGamer.biz writer and resident mobile expert at German publisher Gameforge - even including recent modifications, there simply aren't enough opportunities for studios to push their wares.
In fact, numbers sourced by MacInnes published on his personal blog suggest there are almost 10 times a many opportunities for developers to gain exposure on Apple's App Store than on Windows Phone Marketplace.
Upping the apps
"Both The Apple App Store and the Android Marketplace have several front page chart boxes, which have been very useful to publishers, as remaining in the top 10 of any of those boxes effectively gives you front page featured placement," points out MacInnes.
"Additionally, Apple's 'new and noteworthy' and 'what's hot' sections, as well as Android's analogous 'top new free' and 'trending' sections add even more possibilities for publishers to get their apps seen on the front page."
In contrast, Windows Phone Marketplace's opportunities for front page visibility are minimal to say the least.
"As it stands currently there are just over seven times as many opportunities to gain featured placement on the Android Marketplace vs. Windows Phone Marketplace and nearly ten times as many on the Apple App Store."
Style over substance?
Though there are less apps to push on Windows Phone Marketplace than its rivals 30,000 at the last count the suggestion is a lack of visibility may be one of the reasons developers are putting off supporting the platform.
"One of the great enigmatic qualities of the modern mobile gaming market is that on-portal is absolutely key traditional PR strategies just don't work in the same way they have done historically on other platforms," argues MacInnes.
"Publishers need to have a good icon, positive user reviews and featured placement if they want to see decent sales numbers and while targeted advertising spend can help kick that process off, the on-portal presence is the most important part of the equation.
"By maintaining a more elegant looking design with drastically smaller front page shelf space, Microsoft is making it harder for publishers to get noticed via its portal, than they can on other, competing application storefronts."
[source: Fraser MacInnes]
