News.blog: Microsoft quiet before iPhone 3G day

When Apple launched its App Store on Thursday before the release of the iPhone 3G, I checked to see if I could find anything from Microsoft.

There were applications from Salesforce.com and Oracle, but nothing from Microsoft. The company has made some noise about wanting to be on the iPhone, particularly with Silverlight, but it doesn't appear the software maker has anything imminent.

"I'm not aware of anything," said Scott Horn, a general manager in Microsoft's mobile communications business. Microsoft has said that it was looking at Apple's software developer kit and I wouldn't be surprised if some business units take the plunge, particularly folks like the Dynamics group that competes with the likes of Oracle and Salesforce.

The other key issue is what is Microsoft going to do about the noise that's inevitably going to be generated now that the iPhone is 'open' to third-party developers. While there is much to knock Microsoft about when it comes to the mobile space, being open isn't really its problem.

For years, Microsoft has had an open platform with Windows Mobile. Developers can sell or give away any program they want to run on Microsoft's handhelds and phones. They don't need Microsoft's approval, nor is Microsoft looking to take a cut of the action. Apple, meanwhile, gets 30 per cent of software sold via the App Store, although it does handle hosting and transaction services.

"We have a really vibrant ecosystem," Horn said. "We have more apps than any other platform and we have more developers targeting us."