Microsoft Mining The App Store To Find iOS Developers & Win Them Over
It's been reported many times that Microsoft and even Google are doing everything in their power to win over developers to their respective mobile platforms. Yet, these were often just rumors and the fact that they were offering money for a switch was still more of a belief than anything. Well, iOS developer Oliver Drobnik was approached as well recently, and had the good idea of publishing what he was sent (above, or here in PDF for your iDevice).
You'll sure appreciate the way Microsoft puts it:
Microsoft is looking at investing time and resources in assisting your company to extend beyond your existing platforms and unto our new Windows Phone 7 platform coming in late fall 2010. This is a great opportunity to generate additional revenue and/or exposure from a net new channel.
Apparently, Drobnik believes it took Microsoft "a fair amount of data mining" to find him. This is impressive, as while it's not surprising they contact big development outlets, stalking individual developers is a different story.
What do you think? Smart move? Or are they just desperate?