Microsoft has provided information about its Windows Store and announced a First Apps contest for aps to be included in the store when it opens in late February 2012, to coincide with the Beta of Windows 8. But not all developers are happy about it.

Speaking at the event on December 6 in San Fransisco Antoine Lebond was upbeat about the opportunities for developers of creating Windows 8 apps for the new Windows Store. He emphasised the large size of the potential market in comparison to that of Android and iPhone in terms of devices sold:

He also pointed out that:

"We've just passed the 500 million licenses sold mark for Windows 7, which represents half a billion PCs that could be upgraded to Windows 8 on the day it ships"

Of course it can be argued that very few of the existing Windows 7 users will upgrade because Windows 8 is about tablets. That is Windows 8 adds the Metro environment but not a great deal that is compelling for the desktop user. In this sense it remains to be seen how many takers there are for Window 8 on the desktop.

As can be seen in the video below, Leblond is also keen to communicate the new revenue sharing model which he feels will return as much money as possible to developers and provide the best economics of any platform.

Leblond has also started a new Windows Store for developers blog where you can find fuller details of the new store and the link to the Windows 8 First Apps Contest

You can make an initial entry to First Apps Contest without paying the registration fee - but you can only proceed to the second round and have a chance of having a free (rather than paid-for) app featured as one eight to be featured at the launch of the Windows Store by accepting its terms and conditions and paying your annual dues.

The other complaint, promptly voiced by developers in Canada and the UK, is that the contest is open only to developers who are legal residents of the 50 United States and District of Columbia, France, Germany, Japan, or India. The full rules are available here.

More Information

Windows Store for developers blog

Windows 8 First Apps Contest 

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