Meet the long-awaited Windows Phone 8.0 SDK

Two days ago, on October 30, at the opening of the BUILD conference, a new Windows Phone 8 development platform was announced and at the same time it became available for download by Windows Phone 8.0 SDK .

What interesting has become available for developers?
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Briefly walk through the most interesting new features.

C ++ Development with DirectX and Direct3D

A subset of the DirectX API is available on the phone, which allows you to develop high-performance C ++ games, use a variety of framework frameworks and tools available on the market, as well as port games from other platforms.

C # and XAML applications accessing C ++ with DirectX code

The ability to insert a surface in a XAML application (Drawing Surface) that C ++ / code will draw.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speech-to-Text (STT)

Built-in TTS capabilities with STT with access from applications.

Voice commands

The ability to register a voice command that launches the application or used inside the application.

Work with lock screen: background image, test and counters

The ability of the application to change the background image, text and counters on the lock screen.

New sizes and patterns of live tiles

Three sizes of tiles, three display patterns: Flip (what it was before), Iconic (like the built-in mail application), Cyclic (like the built-in photo application).

Nokia Maps - with Russian and offline!

Bing SDK remains for compatibility as a separate SDK. All applications have access to a new map control, and the map data can be downloaded by the user in advance for a given region, and the names of the streets in Russia are in Russian.

Camera lens applications

Actually the ability to create applications that are embedded in the camera system application.

Easy camera video recording

New WinRT API - simplifies and provides greater access.

Advanced camera features

Advanced access to photo and video camera settings: resolution, focus, white balance, ISO, etc.

Wallet

Ability to integrate with the built-in Wallet application - client applications of banks, storage of card data, coupons, etc.

The work of applications that track the position in the background

There is an opportunity for applications that track the position to continue to work in the background when the user does not see them.

The ability to create events in the calendar from the program

Now even more opportunities to create programs for managing and planning cases.

The ability to create contacts from the program

The ability to create your own contact managers as integrated as possible into the system.

Interaction between applications — using your own protocols or file association

Activation of an application to open a file with a specific extension or when accessing a specific protocol (“special” links).

Read access to mini-SD card

The application can read files from the card.

Bluetooth communication - telephone with telephone or telephone with device

Exchange data with another phone or control / interact with external Bluetooth devices.

NFC

A new NFC API available for applications to implement many new usage scenarios.

Sales inside applications (In-app purchase)

Built-in in-app purchase option.

Useful links:
Read a detailed article with code examples on the Nokia website: What's new in Windows Phone 8
Download the Windows Phone 8 SDK at the link: go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=261873
View recordings of Windows Phone 8 sessions with BUILD: channel9.msdn.com/events/Build/2012
Developer license - $ 8 for 8 days, starting from October 30. Infa: blogs.msdn.com/b/ukmsdn/archive/2012/10/31/windows-phone-developer-offer-8-for-8-days.aspx