Strategy Analytics: Windows Phone Marketplace growing at the expense of iPhone App Store

According to a report by Strategic Analytics, developer interest in the iPhone App store is waning in preference for iPad, Android and Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.

“The app market is already maturing. Developers are tired of a few making the lion’s share of revenue. Thus, we see strong interest in fresh, emerging platforms and new business models…” said Josh Martin, Director of Apps Research at Strategy Analytics.

According to their research the Windows Phone 7 market will grow 167% in developer support, while the iPhone App store will shrink by 26% and Blackberry by 80%.

He notes however that developers are increasingly turning to new and multiple streams of making money, including in-app advertising and virtual goods.

“The platform that best delivers revenue from multiple streams stands the best chance of success in the next eighteen months. For this reason, Strategy Analytics predicts that Apple will introduce carrier billing in emerging markets next year, which will extend the lead it has built in mature regions.”

Windows Phone 7 does not as yet support in-app purchasing, but already supports carrier billing in a number of regions, and with Nokia’s help will support it in many more.  In-App purchasing is also coming slowly, and has been demonstrated in two Xbox Live games so far.  If Microsoft rolls this out to regular developers it should attract many more developers to the platform, and should be one of Microsoft’s priorities for the new year.

Via Finance.Yahoo.com