A Transparent App Store. Great. Now, When Can We Expect Windows Mobile 6.5 to Ship Again?

Microsoft has published some more early details of its new Windows Mobile Marketplace and from the looks of things, it’s shaping up to be quite a bit like the iPhone App Store. Like Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) will charge a $99 yearly registration fee. Like Apple, it will allow developers to set their own app prices. And like Apple, it will collect a flat 30 percent of the revenue from each app regardless of price or the number of copies sold. But unlike Apple, Microsoft’s application approval process will be transparent. That’s an important difference because Apple has taken a lot of flak for the App Store’s lack of clear and unambiguous rules regarding what will and won’t be accepted and about how those decisions are made and communicated. And Microsoft has clearly identified this as a potential vulnerability. “Developers will be able to see detailed feedback during and after the certification process of their application on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile developer portal,” the company explains. “Ultimately, this enables developers to devote more time to writing innovative applications, and less time trying to navigate the approval process.”

At whom could that little gibe be directed, I wonder?

Windows Mobile Marketplace may not be as sexy as the App Store, but it won’t be as autocratic as the App Store, either. And that could be a big selling point with developers. As soon as Microsoft manages to bring the next version of Windows Mobile to market…