Microsoft and Nokia, in their Windows Phone alliance, are seriously gearing up to make the Windows-Nokia smartphone a success. While we are still to see some flagship release on the Lumia front, the two companies are busy meanwhile in expanding the supporting ecosystem. Now, both have pooled $24 million to initiate an apps development program at Aalto University, Finland.
The chief objective of the program is to pique the interest of the developers and to persuade them to start doing app development for the Windows Phone platform. The program will also be educating the developers how best to do so and has been dubbed AppCampus.
Aalto University is known for being the home-place for many recent startups and that’s precisely why Nokia and Microsoft chose it for AppCampus, which is due to start in coming May. With this program, the two companies intend to attract interested students and entrepreneurs from around the world who wish to invest themselves into mobile technology.
According to Nokia’s executive vice president, ‘We are proud to announce this new program, which will enable new and existing developers to create next-generation mobile apps and unique user experience.’
Windows Phone hasn’t been much of a success so far. But with 2012, both Microsoft and Nokia and making very serious efforts to pitch in the Lumia line of Windows Phone devices. And as a result of this, it has gained some traction. There’s a solid demand for Lumia handsets in Europe whereas sales in US have also improved greatly.
Both companies are now hoping that with the launch of Lumia 900, which comes with 4G connectivity and at a mere $99 with contract, Windows Phone will be able to climb back among the top handsets.
Image courtesy John.
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