Windows Phone 7 Reduced Maximum File Size!

Today, Microsoft will be announcing some changes to the application content policies for Windows Phone 7 apps. One of the major changes is a reduction in the file size for over-the-air (OTA) installations. Currently, 20MB is the largest file you can install OTA, which is a pretty large app. If your app is larger than 20 MB, it can still be installed, but the installation needs to take place over WiFi or cable tether. People who are used to OTA installations are not going to be happy about having to find and connect to a hotspot or tether their phone. Even if your app is below 20 MB, the size will affect the download time, and no one likes to wait. The exact details weren't released in the email; we were told to pay attention to the AppHub for full details of the announcements.

Now is probably a good time to introduce you to our XapOptimizer. The XapOptimizer shrinks XAP files and obfuscates the code, providing a significant savings in application size. We're not new to the XAP optimization game-our XapOptimizer has been around for a while, and is a proven technology.

Note: Although XNA apps are distributed as XAP files, XNA apps are currently not supported by our XapOptimizer.