Why is there no Windows Phone version of Visual Studio Express 2013?

Question

I'm planning a side project with some colleagues but not everyone has licenses. We were thinking of releasing an app for both Windows 8/8.1 and Windows Phone 8 platforms. I don't have a lot of experience working with Express versions, but for some reason Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Phone seems to not exist on their site, but without any explanation. I'm wondering if anyone knows if Windows Phone development:

• exists normally in 2013, and the marketing page is simply botched?
• can not be done at all in Visual Studio Express 2013?
• can be done in Visual Studio 2013 Express for Windows, after installing a Windows Phone SDK?
• can be done without an MSDN License only in Visual Studio Express 2012?

Answer 1

Windows Phone 8.1 development tools are now available from Visual Studio 2013 Update 2 or later. As of Nov 2014 we are now at Update 4.

You can install the full VS Express 2013 for Windows with Update 4 from here: http://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/downloads/

(Make sure you pick VS Express 2013 for Windows and not VS Express 2013 for Windows Desktop)

If you already have the RTM version of Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows installed, you can install just Update 4 from here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=390465

Answer 2

In Visual Studio 2013 Update 3 there is the option of building both Windows Phone 8 apps, Windows 8 apps as well as Universal Apps. Also the latest update support the Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 8.1 development. By default they start as 8.1 supported projects. There is a option to build and Blank App (Windows Phone Silverlight) app template where you can select the target OS version whether is is Windows Phone 8 or Windows Phone 8.1

Answer 3

I am pretty sure it has something to do with Windows Phone 8.1 (or whatever they will call it) not yet been released.

VS 2013 is all about Windows 8.1 so by now you can develop in VS 2013 for Windows Store (Windows 8.1 and Windows 8), Windows Desktop (Windows 8.1 and previous) and for Web.

As for Windows Phone, as we are still on WP8, there is no 2013 Express version for it (yet). We will probably see a new 2013 version of VS Express for Windows Phone when WP 8.1 is out.

That is what i think.