Those free Windows Phone 7 handsets that Microsoft is slinging out to employees are not just a delightful gift. In an internal email that’s slipped out onto the web, Microsoft mobile head honcho Andy Lees urges Microsofties to make Windows Phone 7 apps in their “spare time”. Could that 900,000-strong army of internal Windows Phone 7 owners be the key to getting a killer library of apps on the virtual shelves by launch day?
In the wake of the Microsoft Kin catastrophe, Lees is pulling out all the stops to turn Microsoft employees into Windows Phone 7 fans: “When you get your phone, the first thing you can do is MAKE IT PERSONAL! Pick up the phone, turn it on, download mail, get directions, make calls, find friends…in short USE IT!” Hopefully those capitals should get any rogue iPhone 4 owners to fall into line.
As well as hoping employees will be flaunt their free Windows Phone 7 device at every opportunity, Lees throws in some subtle hints that making Windows Phone 7 apps are a doddle: “We’ve introduced a new employee developer program which makes it much easier for you to develop apps for Marketplace in your spare time.”
Getting Microsoft staff cracking on Windows Phone 7 apps is a smart way of increasing the amount of content in the Marketplace by launch. But there’s sure to be plenty of put-upon partners grumbling at the thought of their other half bringing even more work home with them. “Dinner’s ready honey!” “Can’t right now, I’m coding my Windows Phone 7 app…”
