Microsoft (Credit: Microsoft)

Times have definitely changed when it comes to software titles available for Windows, compared to Apple. Who can ever forget Steve Ballmer's "Developers, Developers, Developers" chant that went viral after he appeared at a developer's conference in 2006? He knew that the success of Windows greatly falls on the shoulders of the developers who create software for the platform.

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Windows always had the upper hand when it came to applications while Mac users had far less available software to choose from. The roles have been reversed and it's due to Apple's iOS which has more apps than any other platform available. Microsoft knows this and it know it needs to get some of those developers who create amazing apps for iOS to begin making apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. It's not only the amount of iOS apps available that Microsoft would like to catch up to, it's the quality of the apps the developers create.

Microsoft recently invited several dozen iOS developers to Microsoft's campus in an attempt to persuade them into creating the same kind of apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 that they have created for Apple's iPad and iPhone. Microsoft held a 2 day conference for these developers to give them a better understanding of how to build apps for Microsoft's Windows Store (Microsoft's answer to Apple's App Store).

Many analysts believe that iOS developers who already have successful apps on the App Store could find it easy to just port them over to Microsoft's Store. Microsoft is providing developers the necessary tools and documentation in an attempt to make it easier for them to port their iOS apps over to Microsoft's OS.

Some developers at the conference praised Microsoft for offering a "visual cleanness, crisp, and uncluttered look of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8". Other iOS developers are interested in creating apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone because the market for Windows apps isn't as crowded as Apple's App Store.

In comparison, Apple's App Store currently has over 700,000 apps available while Microsoft's Windows Phone Store has over 120,000 apps. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft can get these developers to put down Apple for a little while and create similar apps for Microsoft's Windows platform.

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