Microsoft poised to pay for apps

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REDMOND, Wash., April 6 (UPI) -- U.S. technology giant Microsoft, playing catch-up in the mobile phone business, is willing to pay for Windows-ready applications, software developers said.

Microsoft has developed a variety of enticements to app developers to beef up its selection at its app store, The New York Times reported Friday.

The reason is simple: Microsoft's selection of 70,000 apps may sound mind-boggling, but it pales in comparison to the 400,000 apps available for Android system phones and the 600,000 available at the Apple store.

Currently, the numbers that support the Windows platform for phones is so small, many app developers don't see the point in spending time on apps for Windows.

"We have very limited resources, and we have to put them toward the platforms with the biggest bang for our buck," said Holger Luedorf, head of business development for app developer Foursquare.

On the other hand, "We are a social network and it is incredibly important for us to be available on every platform."

App developers say Microsoft offers free phones and promotions for apps developed for Windows.

The firm is also prepared to underwrite adaptation of some popular apps for the Windows platform. That can cost up to $600,000, the Times said.