Windows phone app development in WP8 SDK

Question

I am a Windows Phone 7 app developer. Now I am using Visual Studio 2010 and WP7 SDK and Windows 7 OS. But I am planning to install Windows 8 OS and Windows Phone 8 SDK and Visual Studio 2012 in my system. If I do so, can I develop windows phone 7.0 and windows phone 7.1 apps with WP8 SDK and Visual studio 2012 ?

And also I developed some apps in WP7, So if any bug fix needs, Can I do it using WP8 SDK ?

Answer 1

You can develop 7.1 Apps and 8.0 apps but NOT 7.0 apps with the 8.0 SDK... Although I think devices with system version prior to 7.1 don't have access to the store so you don't need to maintain a 7.0 version of your app....

Of course any wp7.1 project can be opened with the new SDK 8.0 without problems.

Answer 2

Yes, Windows 8 and visual studio 2012 support WP7 development. There's a WP7 emulator and you can also connect and use your own WP7 test device.