What you need to know:
- Developers from around the world plan to launch their modern WinUI apps together in September as part of the Launch 2021 event.
- All participating projects will either be free or have a free trial on launch day.
- Projects built on WinUI are eligible to join if the release is a new app or major update.
- Apps that launched since the last event, but were built with feedback from testers, translators, and other devs in the Discord server are also eligible for Launch.
- Each project will be scored in various categories. The best scores for each category get a special place in the showcase.
- Participating projects are eligible for prizes. Winners are decided by the sum of their score in all categories.
How to register
- Log in above with your discord account and go to the Dashboard.
- If you haven't yet, click "Become a dev".
- Select your existing app, or click "Register an app" and fill out all the required information.
- Under the "More info" tab, select "Participate in Launch 2021".
- Save your changes. An event coordinator will contact you.
How to participate
As a user / enthusiast, you can directly influence the creation of these new projects. Translators, beta testing, patreon support or just general user feedback can go a long way. Ping a dev on Discord and see how you can help!
As a developer, many of the projects are open source or may be seeking collaborators. Ask around!
Timeline:
The timeline for Launch 2021 has been extended to accomodate the new cross-platform offering and prizes.
- Accepting new participants until May 24th
- Ongoing project work: April 19th – August 23rd
- Judging: August 23rd – August 30th
- Launch day + winner announcements: September 1st
Prizes
Prizes are awarded based on overall quality. The score for each category is added up, and the projects with the most points are crowned as winners. ~ Windows 10 apps (via UWP or WinUI)
- 1st place – DJI Drone
- 2nd place – Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
- 3rd place - Raspberry Pi 4 Starter PRO Kit
Multi-Platform apps (via Uno Platform)
- 1st place – DJI Drone
- 2nd place – Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones
- 3rd place - Raspberry Pi 4 Starter PRO Kit
- Every entry with cross-platform target (Windows + 1 other platform) – Uno Platform t-shirt
Scoring
A panel of trusted judges will score each app for the following categories:
- Flexibility - A Fluent Design principle. Responsive layouts, adaptive input methods, and a natural UI fit on every device.
- Empathy - A Fluent Design principle. The user experience is stable, intuitive, and delightful to use.
- Beauty - A Fluent Design principle. The app is engaging and immersive. Shadows, animations, depth, general design.
- Potential - Apps are built on a great idea and have the potential to grow into something even bigger.
- Originality - Apps that do something very original, unique, or uncommon, or serves an unfilled niche. Yugen Mosaic is a good example of this.
- Accessibility - Screen reader support, localization, high contrast themes, and keyboard navigation make your app more accessible to users around the world.
The top 3 projects in each category will be shown off front and center in our showcase.
Why this year is different
Traditionally, Launch is a showcase for modern UWP apps created by the community. We keep in touch with devs, plan very carefully, release our apps at the same time, and write a news article briefing those who are interested.
The format was harshly stressed in 2020 when we launched 12 project at the same time. To fix this, the event is evolving into what you see above.
A huge thanks to the Uno Platform for sponsoring us this year!