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Windows Phone 8 clings to secrecy

Microsoft is accepting requests for the Windows Phone 8 SDK, but only from a select few developers. The rest will have to endure a "cruel" wait.

David Meyer Special to CNET News.com
Nokia Lumia 820
The Nokia Lumia 820: You can look, but not too closely just yet. Sarah Tew/CNET

Microsoft is preparing to release the software development kit for Windows Phone 8 — but only to a select group of developers.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Windows Marketplace chief Todd Brix said Microsoft was starting to accept requests for access to the SDK, which lets app creators tailor their products to the upcoming version of the Windows Phone OS.

However, only the "developers of [the Marketplace's] most-downloaded apps" will get in early, Brix said. As for the rest, they will only get access at the launch of Windows Phone 8 because Microsoft is trying to keep some of the OS's features secret.

The developers who responded in the post's comments section were deeply unimpressed at what one termed Microsoft's "cruel joke."

Read more of "Microsoft annoys developers with Windows Phone 8 secrecy" at ZDNet.