App developers looking for funding can enter Qualcomm’s Windows RT Metro Style App Developer Contest. Open to legal residents of the United States age 18 and over, the contest aims to identify the most promising apps for Windows RT devices and award their creators up to $200,000 in cash prizes.

Contest categories include best overall Windows RT app, most compelling connectivity use case, best gaming app, best productivity app, and best AllJoyn peer-to-peer application. A panel of experts will evaluate the apps based on merits like technology innovation and market potential.

Microsoft offers access to the Windows RT software development kit at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/apps/br229516/ so developers can create Metro apps that run across all different form factors and screen sizes. Qualcomm says that its Snapdragon processor supports a broad range of apps for the Metro interface while ensuring that experiences like proximity-based peer-to-peer will be available to consumers at launch. 

Also, Qualcomm is collaborating with Microsoft to make Snapdragon test PCs for Windows RT available to select developers so they can test their Metro apps on a Windows RT device to ensure optimization. App developers can take advantage of the proven gaming performance from Qualcomm’s Adreno graphics and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity, the companies say, for the development of next-generation mobile-enabled solutions on Snapdragon test PCs.

The Windows RT Metro Style App Developer Contest will be open for submissions until October 1, 2012. Additional details, including candidate eligibility and submission guidelines, are available at developer.qualcomm.com/win8contest.

Qualcomm