Windows Phone 8 SDK released

Microsoft has finally released the Software Development Kit for its Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system. The launch was announced today at the company's BUILD 2012 conference and on the official Windows blog. Microsoft's Windows Phone general manager Kevin Gallo touted the company's focus on developer for this release.

"Of course, there's the developer opportunity," Gallo began in his post on the Windows blog. "Frankly, this was the easy part: we just delivered what you asked for. You told us you wanted native code, in-app-purchase, and more ways to reuse and port code-done, done, and done. More than 90 percent of the things you asked for, we added. These capabilities combined with new phone features like better Live Tiles, Lenses, NFC support, and custom app notifications and wallpaper on the lock screen mean that apps do more-and do it in more markets-on Windows Phone."

For the next 8 days, Microsoft is also lowering the fee for the Windows Phone 8 Dev Center to just $8. The account is required to release Windows Phone 8 app on the Windows Store and normally costs $99. Those interested will be charged for the full amount, with Microsoft refunding the $91 dollars in the next 30 to 45 days.