Windows Phone 7 Marketplace: Will We Find Some Surprises At Launch?

[Brad Wasson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/first-batch-of-windows-phone-7-applications-may-include-yelp-and/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/...clude-yelp-and/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 was missing a critical feature -- web video -- when we previewed it late last month, but it appears the platform may have at least a YouTube solution before all is said and done. A former Microsoft program manager with access to the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace tweeted the above picture earlier this week, which shows that there are at least placeholders for a variety of games and productivity tools as well as Yelp and YouTube -- the latter of which is listed as a "Music Hub Add-On.""</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1281486143.usr110171.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>Sean Hollister over at Engadget posted the above image, which was tweeted from a former Microsoft Program Manager, which hints at some of what we might expect to find in the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace. There has been a lot of speculation on the topic of apps for Windows Phone 7. &nbsp;There is just so much we don't know yet. How many apps will we find on day 1? Will there be apps with unique functionality for the new platform, or mostly duplicates from other platforms? How will developers exploit the hub capability? What will the Marketplace experience be like?</p><p>Taking a step back, what are your favorite 2-3 smartphone apps that you would love to see (or can't live without) on the Windows Phone 7 platform?</p>

[Twain]

I want to see these six applications on Windows phone 7 on Day 1:
(1) Google Maps
(2) Zagat to Go
(3) Who's Near Me
(4) MxConverter
(5) eWallet
(6) Adobe Flash

[SteevWatson]

For me it would have to be a decent ebook reader. my preference would be kindle with whispersync support.

Thanks
Steve

[yawanag]

I'm always interested in the utilities I can install to have my device clean and running smoothly so I would see these as a MUST HAVE:

1) Lookout Mobile Security

2) Total Commander

3) Resco File Explorer

4) Global Navigator

5) Pocket Mechanic or SK Tools

After these, I go for the games.

[srmz]

Softmaker Planmaker
Softmaker Textmaker
Resco file explorer
e-Wallet
Adobe flash 10.1

But more importantly will marketplace be available for most of the 3rd world countries, because if not it is of no use for me.

The marketplace on windows mobile 6.5 on my HD2 does not allow software purchase for credit cards registered in Pakistan.

Kind Regards

[Twain]

To the last two who mentioned "Resco File Explorer", I would ordinarily agree with you as it is definitely on my list of must have applications... for Widows Mobile 6. Everything I've read seems to indicate that Microsoft has no intention of letting users view a "file system" in Windows Phone 7, so I didn't mention it in my list. How do you guys see the utility of this application without access to a file system?

[QuackFu]

I think we need to keep in mind that WP7 is not simply the next version of WM6. It's a whole new beast, and based on some of the app "requirements" that people have below, some people don't seem to be realizing that.

Let's keep in mind a couple simple "truths" for the app ecosystem on WP7

Apps don't run in the background (but there is a "push notification" system to enable many types of scenarios)
Apps run in their own sandbox and don't have access to files from other apps
With that in mind, let's just quickly look at some of the apps that people have mentioned here:


Resco File Explorer / Total Commander - as mentioned above, since apps run in a sandbox, you wouldn't be getting much value out of these applications as they are today. They'd only be able to manipulate their own files.
Softmaker PlanMaker / TextMaker - keep in mind that the phone ships with new versions of Word, Excel and OneNote, along with a PowerPoint viewer and Sharepoint access. I think it may be a bit premature to think that the featureset of those apps is insufficient for your needs and needs replacement, before the phone has even been released. I'm sure that Softmaker has room there for innovation, but I certainly wouldn't consider these apps being in the Marketplace being the deciding factor for me, considering the built-in Office apps
Lookout Mobile Security - since apps can't run in the background, there seems to be less of a need for this. WP7 has built-in support for FindMyPhone (http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=9996), and it seems like the rest of its feature-set is just part of WP7 already as well.
Pocket Mechanic / SK-Tools - these apps typically modified regkeys or did system hacks. Since apps can't access stuff outside of the sandbox unless it's exposed via the SDK, it's unlikely that there would be any type of "poweruser" app that could make system wide changes like these.
I'm looking forward to a huge Marketplace with hundreds of thousands of apps. I want tons of choices, and I want to install tons of apps. Just keep in mind that WP7 is very different than WM6 both in form and function, so the "requirements" that we have based on our WM6 (and earlier) use may not really carry-over or make sense when migrating to WP7.

I'm completely with you on eWallet though...I've had a version of that running in my pocket since 2002. I'm really hoping to see them come out with something for WP7.