Microsoft is expected to officially release the Windows Phone 8 SDK to developers in a matter of weeks, but somehow it's already leaked online, currently served up on the site WPXAP. It's also reportedly hosted on Microsoft's own server for early adopters, requiring a password.
Supposedly this leaked SDK, Build 8.0000.10, is the real deal, and requires Windows 8 Release Preview 64-bit to use, backing up previous rumors that the SDK would be a Windows 8-only release (both 32 and 64-bit). The entire download weighs a meaty 1.45 GB download, the bulk of which is the WPExpress.zip file which contains the actual SDK.
According to the download listing, there are six additional files accompanying the SDK as seen in the following list:
* Network Monitoring for Windows Phone Applications V1.pdf
* Optimizing Windows Phone Applications for Efficient Battery Consumption V1.pdf
* RPALSDK_LKG25.zip
* Simulation Dashboard for Windows Phone Applications V1.pdf
* Windows Phone 8 Developer Docs.chm
* Windows Phone Apollo Release Notes.htm
* wpexpress.zip
The Developer Docs (chm) reportedly contains all the documentation with the new developer options. One section is called "Windows Phone 8 Developer Preview app models," and describes app models that developers can use on the platform including native development in C++. managed development, mixed-mode app development, and HTML-based app development options.
Another section talks about game development on the Developer Preview platform, revealing that the DirectX feature level supported is 9.3, and the supported vertex shader model is v2.0. The preview platform also currently supports pixel shader model v2.0.
"Microsoft has tried to strike a balance between the feature level support available in DirectX, and considerations like hardware complexity and battery life in bringing DirectX technology to Windows Phone 8 Developer Preview," the document reads. It also states the preview platform only supports Direct3D, and not the entire DirectX runtime.
"Talks continue with key middleware vendors, but we are not able to announce any middleware compatibility with Windows Phone 8 Developer Preview just yet," the document adds.
Curious developers with Windows 8 Release Preview interested in downloading the leaked Windows Phone 8 SDK are required to download and install a third-party Chinese application first due to the size of the file. Don't want to take the risk? There are plenty of screenshots to read over on WPCentral here.
