Microsoft is now accepting requests from developers for the Windows 8.0 SDK, according to a company blog post. Microsoft is being openly cagey about details, with senior director for Windows marketplace Todd Brix explaining that “our goal is to generate as much Windows Phone 8 excitement as possible to attract new customers when phones go on sale. This is one of many steps we’re taking to help give you what you (and we) want most.”
According to Brix, the SDK is built on Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 and will allow developers to create apps for both Windows 8 and Windows 7.5 devices.
For current Windows phone owners running 7.5, the future remains uncertain. Microsoft has promised an update, Windows 7.8, that will incorporate at least some Windows 8 features onto current devices, but their architecture makes it unlikely that they will be able to run the next generation of Windows 8 apps. So, the question is really how long developers will continue to create apps for the older Windows 7.5.