If the rumors are true, Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone 8 customers may soon enjoy the best apps money can buy.
According to stories reported in Bloomberg BusinessWeek and elsewhere, unnamed sources say Microsoft has been increasing the amount it invests with developers to either specifically write apps for its smartphone OS or to port them over. While the company has openly paid $100 in many cases, some sources suggested that developers were getting paid as much as $100,000.
For a number of developers, the reaction on social media was one of disdain.
microsoft is paying developers to build apps for their app store, a pathetic sign of desperation: http://t.co/u05NA35ApN
— Nicholas Shipes (@u10int) June 15, 2013
Is Microsoft getting desperate? http://t.co/jQo1Tx43wr
— Pierre Grabolosa (@maccatalan) June 14, 2013
Jesus H Christ, desperation MT @arstechnica: Microsoft pays "$100,000 or more" to get devs coding for Windows Phone http://t.co/WYrX9UuQok
— Ming Chow (@tufts_cs_mchow) June 16, 2013
Others suggested the tactic, if it's true, may not be in the software giant's best interests.
@Microsoft should've made creating apps frictionless on a new platform coming to the party so late. http://t.co/JjscGROZV7
— Lavon Woods (@LavonWoods) June 20, 2013
Microsoft incentivising developers to build apps for WP http://t.co/fknHUUwHRF Can this method be effective in building an ecosystem?
— Mariam Dholkawala (@mariamdh) June 18, 2013
Microsoft taking a leaf out of counter insurgency strategy? Buy them off? http://t.co/Dg7kOyb1Ou
— amit malhotra (@amitmalhotra) June 14, 2013
Then, there were those who, at least in jest, were all-in on the prospect of a big payday from Redmond, Wash.
I want $100k. http://t.co/HeZf0uuF9m
— Paul Haddad (@tapbot_paul) June 15, 2013
MS, pay me $100,000 and I'll code whatever you want for Windows Phone 8. http://t.co/LRIlEZsPhH
— Dan Wyszynski (@AbovegroundDan) June 16, 2013
I could really use $100k. :P RT @tapbot_paul: I want $100k. http://t.co/rxdyY00ixe
— Abelardo (Abbie) (@Antijingoist) June 16, 2013
Sources: Microsoft Is Paying Developers Up To $100,000 To Write Windows Phone 8 Apps http://t.co/UJl4ls8J2v pay me 100k and I'll port
— Angel Leon (@gubatron) June 15, 2013
Best strategy of all? If Microsoft is really forking out that much money, don't just blow it on a summer vacation.
@mattorantimatt @JRBoisseau Funding source! ;) http://t.co/SoqGTw2vHW
— stevemock (@stevemock) June 15, 2013