Microsoft published a guide for iOS developers interested in working on Windows Phone 7, including information on translating iOS APIs and case studies on porting applications. Peter Bright of Ars Technica says:

So far, the company's efforts to court developers are seeing mixed success. Appcelerator's quarterly developer survey shows that iPhone and Android phones still have the clear lead, with 91 percent of developers "very interested" in developing for iPhone, and 85 percent for Android phones. Windows Phone is the "best of the rest," with Microsoft's platform edging ahead of RIM's BlackBerry, but it's a long way behind, with just 29 percent of developers giving the "very interested" response. This represents a 7 point drop compared to the previous quarter. The only reason that Microsoft took third place is that interest in BlackBerry phones dropped further still, by 11 points to 27 percent.

Windows Phone trails iOS and Android by such a distance that Microsoft can't get developers' attention. Plus, the fact the OS is seen as "emerging" means developers don't think they can make much money with it. It's all about market share, so Microsoft has to convince developers that it's serious about catching up, and then deliver.

As compelling as the Windows Phone development environment is, it needs to be richer in functionality and broader in scope to really be on an equal footing with the competition. Mango will provide most of those functional riches, but the scope question remains a big unknown.

Source: Ars Technica