Presented by Katrien De Graeve.

1. Windows Store:
Top Learnings from the first
Belgian Windows 8 Apps
30 October 2012
Katrien De Graeve
Technical Evangelist
http://blogs.msdn.com/katriend/
@katriendg

2. Agenda
• Windows Store: registration
• How to ace Windows Store registration
• Windows Store: app certification
• Preparing your app
• Learnings from the most common failures
• How to ace certification
• Support options

3. Congratulations: Belgian Apps
• TODO screenshot

4. Windows Store: Registration
• https://appdev.microsoft.com/StorePortals
• Tokens: MSDN subscriptions (not partner SKU), BizSpark, DreamSpark
• Things to have ready: as an Individual
• Your Microsoft account (aka Windows Live ID)
• Credit card – access to your credit card statement for account verification
• Alternative e-mail address
• Things to have ready: as a Company
• A Microsoft account (aka Windows Live ID), not a personal one but a team one
• Credit card – access to your credit card statement for account verification
• Approver inof (e-mail address cannot be a free e-mail account, needs to be company
one)
• The official company name, written exactly as in government documents

5. Account status

6. Company: Developer Identity Validation
• Symantec GeoTrust 3rd party validation
• Mails can be coming from (check Junk folder)
cs-orders@symantec.com
microsoft.orders@geotrust.com
• Symantec Belgian document of proof:
https://knowledge.verisign.com/support/ssl-certificates-
support/index?page=content&actp=CROSSLINK&id=SO17796

7. Account verification (all)

8. Paid apps requirements
• Payout account must be completed
• Tax profile must be valid

9. Tips on entering valid tax profile
• Guidance is available on Windows Store blog post, see section « For
international developers filling out a W-8 form »:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/08/03/getting-
paid-from-the-windows-store.aspx

10. Tips on entering valid tax profile
v
Company only: In addition to 9a, make sure to also check 9c
> For non-individual beneficial owner (in other words, company), both 9a and 9c need to be selected/filled.

11. Signatory of tax profile
• For companies, have your CFO fill in tax profile
• If submitting in behalve of CFO, extra documents need to be
submitted

12. In this example: manager will require additional action to for validating profile

13. Signing capacity: extra action required

14. Support options
• GeoTrust: http://go.symantec.com/microsoft-chat-support/ (5AM –
5PM PST)
• Microsoft: http://aka.ms/StoreSupport
• Forum
• E-mail, chat and phone support (specific hours)

15. Store Certification

16. WACK: before submission
• Windows App Cert Kit – installed with Windows 8 Tools SDK
• Run on clean machine
• Do not interact with machine while test is running
• Try running on low-end computer

17. WACK Tips
• Background audio: if autoplay=true fails WACK
• Suspend/activate issues coming up as the reason
• Direct3D issue coming up in some C# apps
• Check that your Suspend/Resume handling is not throwing exceptions

18. Preparing your app: language(s)
• App language(s) through App Manifest
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Package
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/2010/manifest">
[…]
</Prerequisites>
<Resources>
<Resource Language="nl" />
<Resource Language="fr-be" />
</Resources>
…

19. Language requirements
• Associated with the following requirement:
Requirement 6.5: You must localize your app for all languages that it
supports.
• Optional but recommended: add a language choice to override
system language

20. Preparing your app: capabilities
• Checking required capabilities – uncheck Internet if not used

21. Privacy policy
• Privacy statement entry is required in all apps
using Internet connection (default)
• Settings charm entry
• Required as separate entry, not under About or
Disclaimer
• Can link to website
• Make sure the contents represent the actual privacy
policy (not in the wrong language, not pertaining to
a privacy but disclaimer, and other similar issues)
• Privacy URL is required in Store portal
• Take into account Age Rating setting in portal:
typically content is 12+ rather than lower if you
use Internet

22. Guiding your user
• Add Help or first run info
• Don’t expect the user to automatically find out all features

24. App images and colors

25. Windows Store Preview

26. App background

27. Store Dashboard: App Submission

28. Selling details
• Regions: who can find and
install your app
• Price tiers

29. Paid apps, Trial, In-app purchases
• Expiry date trial
• Trial API

30. Release date
• Can be set to the future
• Windows Store team will make best effort to release the app on that
date (no sooner than)
• NOTE: If you require a new release before app is published: you need
to cancel release – you might miss the desired date

31. Determine age rating and privacy
requirements
Information collected /Capability accessed Provide your privacy policy Provide access to your Can Age Rating be lower than
URL when you submit app to privacy policy in the app’s 12+?
Store Portal settings as displayed in the
Windows settings charm
SMS Required Required No
Text messages Required Required No
Location Required Required No
Microphone Required Required No
Webcam Required Required No
Documents Library Required Required No
Internet connection (incoming or outgoing) Required Not Required but Yes
encouraged
Requires a sign in account where the name on the Required Not Required but Yes
account is not required to be an email address or encouraged
user’s name (in real life) but any made-up name
Collects or transmits personal information: User’s Required Not Required but No
Name, User’s Account, Email address, Phone #, encouraged
Contacts, User’s Address
Collects or transmits: Images of Computer Desktop Required Not Required but No
or Screen Shots encouraged
Collects or transmits: Browsing History Required Not Required but No
encouraged

32. Don’t forget
• Privacy URL in Store Portal (not a required field!)
• Check the URL you enter, does it actually link to a privacy statement? In the
right language?
• Is the site online?
• Age rating
• Support contact (URL or E-mail) is required
• Using external services:
• Is your service available at all times
• Does it work from the tester’s location? U.S.A. based

33. Notes to testers
• Make sure you provide any details
needed to test the app, for example
that a certain flow needs to be
followed at first run (configuration etc)
• Always provide a test account if login is
required to use the app
• Note any geo (blocking) requirements.
Do note testers are not based in
Belgium and this might impact app
manual testing
• Use a mock for testers if required

34. How to ace certification
• Tips:
• Add tester notes – especially upon rejection or new release, mention
clearly what has changed
• Region, language
• Request .ZIP file with tester review
• Have end-users test your app:
• Login needed? Easy to get one?
• App bars and (first run) help info needed?

35. Support options
”
• http://aka.ms/StoreReq
http://aka.ms/StoreFix
• http://aka.ms/StoreSupport

36. Q&A
Katrien De Graeve
Technical Evangelist
http://blogs.msdn.com/katriend/
@katriendg

37. Build apps on Windows. Discover your new
home.
http://msdn.be/apps

38. SATURDAY 10 NOVEMBER
2012
08:08 – 00:00
HUB BRUSSELS
Eat. Drink. Code. Be part of the app revolution. Join
thousands of developers around the world as we build
apps for the next generation of Windows.
http://aka.ms/wowzappB
E

39. FRIDAY 23 NOVEMBER
2012
9:00 – 18:30
ALM ANTWERP
National and international speakers will talk about App
Development, User Experience and Design.
http://aka.ms/appday