At
CTIA Wireless 2012, Nokia announced that in order to further enthusiasm
for the Windows Phone platforms, the company has tied up with certain
developers to launch apps exclusive to Windows Phone for certain time
periods. The company said that there are currently 80,000 apps in the
Windows Phone store, which of course, indicates that the OS has a lot of
catching up to do to the Android and iOS application numbers. The
Windows Phone OS is currently available in 48 markets and Nokia is
adamant that developers build apps specifically for the platform, taking
advantage of the tile format, rather than just port their existing
apps. Marco Argenti, SVP, Nokia Developer Experience says, "We are
focused on delivering great, locally relevant apps, and importantly,
those which offer unique, exclusive and original experiences."
The exclusive apps are spread across multiple genres, including sport,
finance, entertainment and gaming. In sport, Windows Phone users will
get a PGA Tour application, covering PGA tour events, which will be
available in late June this year and will be exclusive to the Nokia
Lumia platform for 12 months. Also in sports is the ESPN app which will
be exclusive to the Nokia Lumia platform till May 2013. Additionally, a
Windows Phone version of the ESPN Fantasy Football app will launch
exclusively on Nokia Lumia smartphones this coming Fall.
In games, users can look forward to multiple Angry Birds titles coming
to the Windows Phone platform, including the
recently dismissed-for-Windows-Phone, Angry Birds Space. Rovio is
building a dedicated design and development team to create games for
Nokia Lumia smartphones and the wider Windows Phone ecosystem, with the
goal of developing and publishing all future Rovio titles as soon as
possible. Rovio CEO Mikeal Hed says, "Nokia is one of our
longest-standing partners, and Windows Phone and Lumia are of strategic
importance to Rovio. We are very committed to bring our games to Lumia
devices, and are looking forward to delighting our fans on the Windows
Phone platform." Nokia had previously tied up with Rovio mobile to
promote NFC capabilities on their phones by launching "Angry Birds Free
with Magic". EA has also agreed to bring multiple titles over to the
Nokia Lumia devices as well as the Windows Phone platform.
In the lifestyle section, Groupon will bring an app exclusive to the
Nokia Lumia platform for six months from launch. The app will include a
newly developed augmented reality deal discovery function to combine map
and Points-of-Interest (POI) data with what is seen via the camera's
viewfinder, enabling users to see virtual Groupon deals, in real-time,
nearby. Tripdots will also be made available exclusive to Windows Phone
customers for three months from launch. Tripdots helps vehicle owners
optimize their driving behaviors while connecting with other vehicle
owners and sharing driving efficiency achievements via social networks.
The app lets users monitor the operation of their vehicles to enable
cost savings through better understanding fuel economy.
