Microsoft Expands Mobile Opportunities for Windows Developers

New Tools and Enhanced Services for Windows Mobile Software Platform Facilitate Wireless Application Innovation

Los Angeles, Oct. 28, 2003 — Today at the 10th Microsoft® Professional Developers Conference, Microsoft Corp.'s Mobile Devices Division unveiled plans to deliver a new set of tools, technologies and service offerings, including support for Microsoft Visual Studio® "Whidbey," Microsoft .NET Compact Framework "Whidbey" and managed-code APIs, as well as expanded support for various screen resolutions. These updates will enable Windows® desktop developers to embrace new opportunities in the growing wireless software industry and apply their existing skills to develop wireless applications for the Windows Mobile (TM) software platform. In addition, Microsoft announced an upgrade to the Windows Mobile Smartphone Device Developer Kit for developing applications for Windows Mobile 2003 software for Smartphones. The company also revealed enhancements to its Mobile2Market program, which facilitates accelerated delivery of mobile applications via distribution channels including retailers, e-tailers and mobile operators.

"Our Windows Mobile platform has experienced very positive growth over the past two years, in terms of unit volume and a broader range of Windows Mobile-based products available to customers. There has never been a more attractive addressable opportunity for developers," said Juha Christensen, corporate vice president of Mobile Devices Division at Microsoft. "We've built Windows Mobile software with the future in mind, to evolve as the market expands, enabling desktop and mobile developers to take advantage of the volume opportunity for smart devices and deliver innovative applications and services to market."

The recent U.S. availability of the Motorola MPx200 with Windows Mobile software and the European launch of the Orange SPV E200 with Windows Mobile software expands the market opportunity for professional developers to easily apply their existing skills to Smartphone application development. More than 11,000 applications have been registered by Microsoft Mobile Solution Partners, and more than 380,000 professional Windows Mobile developers worldwide are poised to take advantage of this new and rapidly growing market.

Future Developer Investments

Corresponding with the innovation by device manufacturers, the Windows Mobile development platform will expand to support screen resolutions including square screen, portrait and landscape, VGA, and QVGA. The continued focus on providing a standard software platform coupled with various device form factors will enhance the application development environment and create more choice for end users and mobile operators.

In line with Microsoft's overall investment in the upcoming version of Visual Studio, code-named "Whidbey," Windows Mobile developers will benefit from a familiar environment and the highest developer productivity. More specifically, Visual Studio "Whidbey" will be the first development tool for Windows Mobile developers that unifies the development environment to include the native Microsoft Visual C++® development system, managed Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET and Microsoft Visual C#® development tool, and Web ASP.NET Mobile controls -- all in a single integrated development environment.

The success of the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework should accelerate in the future with major enhancements planned to the core run-time environment and the base class libraries. .NET Compact Framework "Whidbey" will include execution environment enhancements to improve overall performance, as well as better native interoperability with COM interop functionality and a richer set of base class libraries.

The Windows Mobile development platform will continue to increase its overall investment in .NET by further building out the platform with a managed code API set including support for the following: messaging, telephony, multimedia and gaming, connectivity, and personal information management (PIM).

Taken together, these investments in the software platform, development tools and API set create a compelling offering for Windows and mobile developers that are ready to take advantage of the high-growth wireless market.

Availability of Smartphone Device Developer Kit Upgrade

To meet the demand for native support of Web services in Windows Mobile software for Smartphones via the .NET Compact Framework and Visual Studio .NET, Microsoft is providing an upgrade to the Smartphone Device Developer Kit. This kit offers developers everything needed to build, test and deploy Window Mobile-based Smartphone applications, including a precommercial Windows Mobile-based Smartphone with 2003 software and accessories, a null SIM card, and development tools and resources. Information on how to receive the Windows Mobile Smartphone Device Developer Kit and pricing can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/developer/ .

Mobile2Market Enhancements

Microsoft's Mobile2Market is a comprehensive program designed to empower developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) to generate incremental revenues through application distribution channels, such as mobile operators, while extending customer reach and reducing time to market. The Mobile2Market process is made up of steps including application logo certification and inclusion in the Mobile2Market Application Catalog. To date, there are more than 650 certified Mobile2Market applications in the Mobile2Market Application Catalog.

In an effort to help developers, ISVs and application distribution channels derive even more value from this program, the following enhancements will be made:

• Process enhancements. Microsoft is working with its Mobile2Market logo certification and code-signing partners to drastically enhance the process of logo certification and market readiness of applications via code signing.
• Catalog enhancements. The Mobile2Market Application Catalog is being enhanced to provide visitors with a unified view into where and how to easily purchase mobile applications ( http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/catalog/ ).
• Extranet enhancements for Mobile2Market partners. Application distribution channels such as e-tailers, retailers and mobile operators will have increased functionality with their secure access privileges to reach the rapidly expanding number of ISVs and applications that are in the catalog.

More information about the Mobile2Market program can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/mobile2market/ .

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

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