Microsoft increases free app limit for developers to 100

Microsoft has increased the number of free applications developers can submit from five to 100 in an effort to further populate the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace and compete with Android and Apple.

The move means that developers will not have to put a token price on applications, usually around 79p, when they submit them to the Marketplace site, which could help to increase the number of apps from the 4,000 or so currently available.

Microsoft said in a newsletter seen by web site Geeksmack that the decision was based on feedback from the developer community.

"During the past months we have been working hard to improve our overall Windows Phone Marketplace experience based on the feedback we received from you and our partners," the newsletter said.

"We heard that you wanted a higher limit on the maximum number of free apps you could submit for free. We've heard you and are pleased to announce that we've increased that limit from five to 100."

Microsoft has already given developers free Windows Phone 7 devices in an effort to stimulate the creation of more applications for the Marketplace store.

However, the company was left red-faced this week after the first Windows Phone 7 update caused many devices, notably the Samsung Omnia, to crash. Microsoft was forced to stop the update, and has since explained what was causing the issue.

Microsoft has promised several upgrades to the platform in 2011, including the much-demanded copy and paste functionality and upgrading the browser to the desktop version of Internet Explorer 9.