Apps sure are valuable. They are pretty much the lifeblood of any platform, particularly a mobile oriented one like Windows 8. In an increasingly mobile world, a worthy selection of apps has the potential to attract users to a platform.
Recognizing the importance of apps, Microsoft has been hard at work convincing developers to code for its new Windows 8 operating system. This time, Redmond’s efforts have taken it to Africa, as it tries to attract African app developers through a number of local campaigns.
In fact, the company has formed what it calls the ‘Africa Apps team’, which is essentially a group of Microsoft developers with an assignment to assist and facilitate programmers and app developers in helping them with their coding efforts.
And as developer evangelist lead for West, East and Central Africa, Dele Akinsade noted, they got a very warm response in Kenya:
“We are very excited to be here in Kenya interacting with the students and preparing them to innovate using our technology. We have had a very good response from these young people on our various offerings and are confident that we should be seeing a churn of apps from them quite soon.”
This is the latest in Microsoft’s global campaign to persuade developers and show them how easy it actually is to code for Windows 8. And it could not have come at a better time.
Redmond itself has admitted not only does it need more apps for its Windows 8 OS, but in fact, they need more immersive ones that engage users — the focus is on quality as much on quantity.