What would happen if Microsoft announced a 100 million dollar price money for the best new App?

[ortrdy]

What would happen?

 

[Ten Four]

We'd get a bunch of social/crap apps that would be very popular, and are super dumb and time wasting! I have written it many times and I am sure I will write it again--the app gap is way overblown. 95% of people use almost nothing but the basics 95% of the time, and the apps they really miss are the small oddball ones that are important to a very small number of people: the local coffee shop app, the bank app, the odd bus transport app, etc. When you hear people complain about the "app gap" it is here on various enthusiast forums, but almost never in the real world because most people buy into the same phone ecosystem that their friends and family are using, so they can have the same apps as everyone they know. Windows on phones is just not as popular because it is not as popular--the old chicken or egg problem. It is not really the quality of the ecosystem, but the sheer momentum of numbers that keeps it back.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Realistically, that would not be possible.

How would the determination of what is "the best new app" even be made? Each person likes different types of apps and has different criteria of what makes an app good.

 

[Snaffie]

Agreed, what company would be wiling to devote the time, staff and money to create a MAJOR app for the chance of a single prize, that would be a very bad idea.
If it was something like XXX Thousand $ to the best new 20 apps created this year, then it would be more interesting.

The only single thing that annoys me about the "app gap" if you wish to call it that is the BIG companies that don't make one, or only produce something poor. I understand 3 guys from home would struggle, but if you are raking in many many $1000's each month then come on, would not kill you to get 1 or 2 even devoted staff for Windows development.
Esp when they have great iOS and Android versions of the same thing.

 

[gwinegarden]

What would happen?

They would be out of their minds.