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It appears that Microsoft is nibbling some sense; after biting dust all the time as Apple made a head run with its iPhone and the App Store as well as Google creating the hype with reports of launching its Android any time soon. All this must have made Microsoft feel lagging behind the market and of course the trends set by its competitors might just have made the Windows Mobile division  kicking some dirt off their heads to create something to call their own.

The current news or should I say rumor revolves around a message in relation to third party unity and they have aimed high (like always), calling their stew; Skymarket. The words just out as reported, but we aren’t sure as to what exactly is this about but Microsoft is already on a head hunt for the Senior product manager and product manager. Perhaps it is to bring a one stop shop for the Windows Mobile users who find the worst quality scattered all across the globe compared to Apple’s single App Store with the good to bad application ratio far better than that of Windows mobile.

Windows Mobile presently claims to have around 18,000 applications but as said they have got an equally large number of places where users can get them instead of one centralized place; which can ease the task for Microsoft to maintain quality and generate maximum profits (App Store is the glaring example here). It definitely appears to be a good step and might just make things more systematic and of quality and even it doesn’t Microsoft is known to try everything its competitors do to beat them, they can try this one too.

The Job specifications for the posts are:

Job Title: Senior Product Manager – Skymarket
This is a unique opportunity and time of rapid change in the mobile industry for a Senior Product Manager in the Mobile Communications Services team to drive the launch of a v1 marketplace service for Windows Mobile.

Key Responsibilities include the following:

* Definition of the product offering, pricing, business model and policies that will make the Windows Mobile marketplace “the place to be” for developers wishing to distribute and monetize their Windows Mobile applications
* Responsibility for the business model and key elements that will drive the optimal experience for developers and monetization of the service by Microsoft
* Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration for the initial launch of the marketplace offering to the developer community this fall
* Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration with stakeholders in the commercial launch of the marketplace service with the launch of WM 7
* Define and mange the consumer, developer and mobile operator value proposition and supporting materials for use by PR, MCB’s developer outreach organization, and other teams across Microsoft
* Working with multiple stakeholders (product team, product planning, developer outreach, business operations, legal and more) in definition on the process, policies and terms of use through which developers and consumers take part in the marketplace
* Work closely with product planning on prioritization of consumer, developer, and mobile operator scenarios
* Support business development on engagements with mobile operators and integration of the marketplace offering into broader Microsoft services offerings or discussions
* Work closely with the Mobile Communication Business developer outreach organization
* Management of KPI’s for the service post launch

Product Manager – Commercial Integration

This is a unique opportunity for a Product Manager in the Mobile Communications Services team to drive the commercial operations and infrastructure integration for the v1 launch of an applications marketplace service for Windows Mobile 7.

Key Responsibilities include the following: g

* Drive the commercial operations and infrastructure integration that will enable the Skymarket service and enable revenue collection from consumers of the service and payments to 3rd party developers selling applications/content through the marketplace
* Drive the cross group collaboration for the commercial operations and infrastructure that enable initial launch of the marketplace with the launch of WM 7
* Benchmarking 3rd party mobile marketplaces for commercial integration options for consumers and developers, generating a set of best practices as input for the app market planner
* Working closely with product teams and potentially 3rd parties on mobile operator commercial integration
* Define the processes and KPI’s for measurement of the performance of the business
* Define processes for the on-going operation of the business including unds collection, payment, reporting requirements
* Oversight of 3rd party developer payments, tax issues, and funds management
* Work closely with product planning on prioritization of consumer, developer, mobile operator integration, and internal commerce integration scenarios
* Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration for the commercial operations and infrastructure that enable initial launch of the marketplace with the launch of WM 7
* Working with multiple stakeholders (product team, product planning, developer outreach, legal and more) in definition on the process, policies and terms of use through which developers and consumers take part in the marketplace
* Support business development on engagements with mobile operators and integration of the marketplace offering into broader Microsoft services offerings or discussions.