It's hard to get your voice heard once Apple's promo machine whirs into action.

Nonetheless, Microsoft is continuing its efforts to evolve its forthcoming Windows Phone 7 platform, the giant this week announcing what amounts to a drop in app submission fees.

Apps, as Microsoft is now aware, can make or break a mobile OS, and the firm has confirmed it is to lower its rates to encourage a broad spectrum of studios onto Windows Phone Marketplace.

Dropping the rates

After paying an annual registration fee of $99, developers will be able to submit an unlimited number of premium apps as well as five free apps. All additional free app submissions will be charged at $19.99 each.

Microsoft's current mobile app store – Windows Marketplace for Mobile – charges $99 for each additional app submission, but the company now believes it needs to lessen the hurdles that could put developers big and small off from working on Series 7.

"We’re taking the next step with Marketplace to attract a much wider range of developers, from large software companies down to students and hobbyists," Microsoft's director of developer experience Brandon Watson says on Windows Phone's official blog.

"We introduced our first Marketplace eight months ago and have already shown that there is demand for an app store that is both customer-centric AND developer friendly.

"At the same time, we’re giving developers the respect they deserve in our use of transparent and uniform policies that still give developers the necessary information and flexibility to explore creative sales and marketing models."

Microsoft on the move

The announcement follows further revelations made by MobileGamesBlog last week.

The site suggested Microsoft could even be keen on tailoring Marketplace to suit individual carrier needs, allowing them to participate in app promotion with Microsoft sacrificing a share of its app sale revenue as a result.

It's all part of a drive to ensure developers see Windows Phone 7 – which has undergone its second subtle logo change (pictured) since the rebranding was announced – as a more hospitable platform than Windows Mobile.

"Bottom line - we have listened to developers and responded to changing customer behaviour to make Marketplace an even better experience for all," Watson concludes on the blog.

"For those considering developing for Windows Phone for the first time, we hope you see a fresh opportunity to create truly unique and exciting apps and games. For those who have already published apps to the Marketplace, we hope you find this new direction exciting."
FierceDeveloper