The SDK's Simulation Dashboard is capable of determining how well an app will respond to real-life conditions, such as when a user has a low-bandwidth connection or if there's an interruption from a reminder or notification. Developers can use that information to adjust their apps as necessary, according to Microsoft.

Also new is the Windows Phone 8 Emulator, which offers support for all three of the resolutions supported by the mobile platforms. The emulator runs on Windows Hyper-V and has the same hardware, software, and configuration requirements.

On the Visual Studio side, Microsoft has injected new debugging capabilities. For example, project designers can choose whether to debug the managed code or native code portions of their apps. They can also now debug Windows 8 apps when launched from a Tile or a push notification in addition to when they are launched directly.

To help developers cash in on their apps, Windows Phone 8 also introduces the Wallet, which is capable of collecting coupons, credit cards, and loyalty numbers from a single location; managing payment instruments in the app and music store; and making contactless transactions via NFC (Near-Field Communication). According to Microsoft, the Wallet API offers full programmatic access to the Wallet, allowing developers to create, read, update, and delete Wallet items.

The SDK also includes tools for helping developers spruce up their apps. For example, developers can create camera apps, dubbed a lens in Microsoft vernacular. A lens opens from the platform's built-in camera app for users to shoot pictures on the spot. Rich-media lenses support the viewing and editing of digital photos; the lens feature also can be used for scanning bar codes and displaying related data from a local folder.