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After much anticipation and amidst much fanfare, Microsoft unveiled its Windows MarketPlace for Mobile devices last Tuesday.  The Windows MarketPlace is now open for business for WM6.5 phones, with plans to make it accessible to WM6.0 and WM6.1 phones by the end of the year (NOTE: If you don’t want to wait, you can find a CAB file that can be installed to WM6.0 or WM6.1 phones at the XDA Developers forum).

Over the last year I’ve read numerous articles that discussed the Windows MarketPlace in regards to software developers, but I have not read any articles that discuss the MarketPlace in regards to end users like me!  To get a better understanding of the MarketPlace from an end user perspective I spent several hours reviewing the “MarketPlace for Mobile Customer Service Agreement,” the “Windows MarketPlace Frequently Asked Questions for Customers” and the “Windows MarketPlace Frequently Asked Questions for Developers” documents that are located on Microsoft’s website.

How the MarketPlace works

According to the Windows MarketPlace for Mobile Customer Service Agreement, “Applications made available through Windows Marketplace are licensed, not sold, to you.”  To license software through the MarketPlace, all you need is a Windows Live ID.  You can’t shop online from your computer just yet, but you can set up your billing preferences and view your purchase and billing history on the Windows MarketPlace website.  You can pay for software either with a credit card or by having charges applied to your mobile phone bill (if your mobile operator is set up to do this).  Online shopping from your computer will be offered sometime in the future.

Before you can license software you’ll be required to sign off on the Windows MarketPlace for Mobile Customer Service Agreement.

MarketPlace Mobile client

You can browse and purchase applications directly from your Windows phone through the Windows Mobile MarketPlace client.  After you open up the client, you will login to your Live ID.  Then you can browse available applications by selecting the “Showcase,” “Most popular,” or  “What’s new” options on the Home page.  Tapping the “View All” option (at the top right hand side of the screen) allows you to refine your search to paid, free, or the newest applications that have been added to the MarketPlace.

The mobile client also lets you browse by category, and you can manage applications you’ve licensed through the MarketPlace.

When you purchase a license to use an application, the application is downloaded and installed directly to your device from the MarketPlace.  If you remove an application or perform a hard reset, you can download and install the application again by opening the Marketplace client on your windows phone, and going to the My Applications page (see screenshot below on the right).

Tapping the Menu option on the lower right hand side of the screen allows you to return to the Home screen or to Search for specific applications.

The Marketplace Mobile client is touch friendly and easy to use. 

Licensing Applications

You can tap any application you see to learn more about it or to purchase and install it to your phone.  Applications are installed directly to the Windows phone’s main memory.

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Windows MarketPlace for Mobile does not issue or use activation codes (4).  Instead, applications are associated with your Windows Live ID account, are licensed to specific devices and can only be installed from the Windows MarketPlace.  You can install applications on up to five different devices at a time.  Activation and registration codes that have been purchased in other places are not supported in the Windows MarketPlace.

Trial Software, which are described as “limited functionality” versions of applications, will be available for free. (5)  This is different than most trial software that is downloaded from other places, where the software are fully functional versions that time out after some period of time.

Are the benefits compelling enough to get your business?

From an end-user perspective, the benefits of shopping at the MarketPlace include:

Convenience:  One-stop shopping for software from a Windows phone just doesn’t get any easier or faster than using the Mobile MarketPlace client. (well, it could be one-stop shopping once more developers get on board).

Secure Backup:  All applications that are purchased in the Marketplace are automatically backed up to your account and you can download and reinstall the software to your Windows phone, as needed. (6)

Microsoft certification:  All MarketPlace applications go through a rigorous certification process by Microsoft to ensure the best user experience on their Windows phones, and applications are backed by a simple return policy. (7)

Simple Refund Policy:  Credit card purchases come with a no-questions-asked refund policy as long as a refund is requested within 24 hours from time of purchase and you don’t ask for more than one refund a month. (8)

Will MarketPlace restrictions leave you cold?

I hold many personal reservations about my loss of control over applications that are purchased through the Marketplace.

Remote Kill Switch:  GeekZone, in its “Unofficial Tech Ed Blog,” was the first to report the existence of Microsoft’s so-called remote kill switch:

“If an application is approved but later removed from the marketplace it will then be automatically removed from all mobile devices”

ars technica received clarification regarding Microsoft’s use of the kill switch:

“In the vast majority of instances where an application is removed from Windows Marketplace for Mobile, users of this application will continue to be able to use these applications on their phones," a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars. "In the rare event an application from Marketplace exhibits harmful behavior or has unforeseen effects, Marketplace has the capability to remotely uninstall these applications. While we hope to avoid this scenario, we will make refunds available in such cases.”

The Customer Service Agreement states:

“Microsoft may a) close your Windows Marketplace service account for any reason and b) remove any application from Windows Marketplace and/or disable copies of such application on your device in order to protect Windows Marketplace, application providers, its customers, wireless carriers over whose network you access Windows Marketplace, and others.”

Backed up Applications may not be secure after all:  If Microsoft closes your Marketplace service account, you will not be able to access any of the software that is backed up there.  In the Customer Service Agreement, Microsoft states:

“We may change Windows Marketplace or delete features at any time and for any reason. We may cancel or suspend access to Windows Marketplace at any time. Our cancellation or suspension may be without cause and/or without notice. Upon cancellation, your right to use Windows Marketplace stops right away. Once Windows Marketplace is cancelled or suspended, any data you have stored on Windows Marketplace may not be retrieved later, which includes backup copies of applications you may have downloaded.

No direct access to CAB files: Applications are associated with your Windows Live ID and are licensed and installed to specific devices directly from the MarketPlace.  Any CAB files that are used to install the software are immediately deleted as soon as the application is installed to the device.  Licensed software is maintained in your MarketPlace account.  If you need to reinstall the software to an existing device (as in the case of a factory reset), or if you ever want to install the software to a new device, you will do so through the Windows MarketPlace. (6) 

An internet connection is required to install applications:  There have been a few times when I’ve had to reinstall an application and did not have easy access to the internet.  I generally keep application CAB files backed up to my storage card, so I can always reinstall applications without the need for an internet connection.

Applications are automatically installed to main memory,  and you cannot install applications to a storage card except under extenuating circumstances.  In response to a user’s question about this issue on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile forum, Ronn M responds:

“Currently, there is no means to manually specify an alternative install location for apps. The exception being if there is insufficient space available for installation. When this occurs, the client will notify you that you do not have sufficient memory to store the new application on your device and will present the option to either delete an existing app or to store the app in an alternate location such as a storage card.”

Device Restrictions: Licensed software can be downloaded and installed to up to 5 devices at one time.

Conclusion

The Windows MarketPlace for Mobile has a great deal of potential and could be a great place to find and purchase Windows Mobile software.  Nonetheless, given its existing restrictions and limitations, I am not convinced it is the best place for me to purchase software.     
 
There are many other places where Windows Mobile software can be purchased, without having such restrictions. The Marketplace may be the most convenient place to purchase software and there may be a sense of comfort in knowing that an application has gone through a rigorous authorization and approval process before it can be sold in the Marketplace, but as far as I am concerned the loss of control pretty much cancels out these benefits.

Links

1. MarketPlace for Mobile Customer Service Agreement
2. Windows MarketPlace Frequently Asked Questions (for Customers)
3. Windows MarketPlace Frequently Asked Questions (for Developers)
4. I rely on activation codes to not only register the app, but to gather user information for support. How will this be addressed in Marketplace? (Developer FAQs)
5. How do I create a trial application? (Developer FAQs)
6. How can I keep a backup copy of my apps? (Customer FAQs)
7. Why are you charging so much more than the competition for certification? (Developer FAQs)
8. What is the Refund Policy? (Customer FAQs)
9. Windows MarketPlace for Mobile forum