Microsoft overhauls Windows Phone Dev Center, adds PayPal support
Company says the new design was built "from the ground up" and will soon allow developers to register in four times as many countries.
Microsoft has completely overhauled its Windows Phone Dev Center and added some extra ways for developers to get paid.
The company today announced the changes in a blog post, saying that the site, which allows developers to do everything from submit applications to download software development kits, was completely rebuilt "from the ground up." The design itself comes with a healthy amount of white space and a streamlined, basic feel. According to Microsoft, the redesign aims "at providing faster access to common tasks."
For developers, however, the key additions come by way of availability and payments. According to Microsoft, it will soon allow developers to register apps "in four times as many countries and regions" from the Dev Center. In addition, Microsoft has added more payment methods, including PayPal.
"For starters, we wanted to make it easier for you to get paid," Microsoft wrote today in a blog post. "So the Dev Center now supports PayPal, something many of you asked for. If PayPal service is available in your market, you can use it both to get paid and to pay for your developer account."
Once those apps are made available, developers can head back to the Dev Center to measure their performance. With the new design, Microsoft has beefed up those analytics tools, allowing developers to view downloads by several types, including free, paid, trial, and beta. Microsoft has also taken measures to reduce latency in the app downloads report.
Microsoft was quick to point out that all of the updates are currently designed for apps running on Windows Phone 7.5 or earlier. The company recently announced Windows Phone 8, the next iteration of its mobile software. The Dev Center overhaul was timed to precede the launch of that operating system, which should be made available later this year.