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Microsoft makes it easier for 3rd party devs to add Windows Live features to apps

By Michael Heller

Updated: Jul 25, 2011, 7:46 PM

Windows

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Windows Phone 7 may be growing slowly, but Microsoft is looking to change that by allowing developers to add more value for the 500+ million users of Hotmail, Messenger and Skydrive. We can't say how accurate that number may be, but it's no secret that Hotmail is still by far the largest webmail service, easily beating out both Yahoo and Google's Gmail.

As part of Microsoft's updated developer platform, devs will now be able to hook their apps into Windows Live, Hotmail, Messenger and Skydrive to allow users access and control over their content. Microsoft has actually made it incredibly easy for developers, so there will be no need for server-side code, because Microsoft says that many app devs don't have servers backing their apps. Microsoft wanted to add light and easy access to content in an effort to bring a social layer to WP7 apps using the networks that Microsoft has been building for years in Hotmail and Messenger.

The new features even allow for offline access to user data, but early comments say that there is a bug in that system because the authorization tokens expire after just one hour. It seems likely that Microsoft will fix this issue fairly quickly. But, we can't wait to see how devs put this new functionality to use.

source: Windows Team Blog

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Michael Heller is known for his clear and informative articles on mobile technology. He explores important topics such as the rollouts of 5G networks and the advancements in mobile payments, offering readers insights into the evolving tech landscape.