Microsoft is taking an unusual approach to encouraging developers to upgrade apps for Windows 8.1. Usually, companies provide the final code for an operating system upgrade to developers well in advance and start accepting upgraded apps early so that there will be plenty of apps available on the day the new OS launches. Microsoft, by contrast, is making developers wait to submit apps until after Windows 8.1 officially goes live on October 18. However, after that, it promises to approve Windows 8.1 apps for the Windows Store within five days.
At first, Microsoft also said it wouldn’t provide the Windows 8.1 code to developers in advance of the launch. When developers complained, it released the code to developers one month before the official general release. It remains to be seen if Microsoft’s promise of quick app approval will make up for this earlier misstep.
