There is a reason why every Microsoft employee will be getting a Windows Phone 7 phone when they launch in the run up to Christmas; Microsoft want them all to become app developers.

In an internal memo outlining the plan, Microsoft mobile chief Andy Lees is hoping that employees not only to use the phones, but "evangelize" them and develop apps for Windows Phone 7, according to Microsoft watcher Todd Bishop.

After encouraging them to use it:

"When you get your phone, the first thing you can do is MAKE IT PERSONAL! Pick up the phone, turn it on, download mail, get directions, make calls, find friends…. In short USE IT! The experience of Windows Phone 7 is special and a big step toward our future in the mobile phone business. We’d love all of you to love it as much as we on the team love it. To do that we need to you to use your phone and find the things that make it personal and valuable to you".

Lees then moves on to calling employees to develop:

"Develop! With the help of the developer division, we just shipped the Final Beta of the Windows Phone Developer Tools. They absolutely rock, and you should download them now http://developer.windowsphone.com/. The package includes everything you need to start building apps".

And finally the bit where they are unlikely to get paid:

"In addition, we’ve introduced a new employee developer program which makes it much easier for you to develop apps for Marketplace in your spare time. ... And if you need some help jumpstarting your development, check out the Windows Phone Developer Training Kit. ..."

Has Microsoft suddenly guaranteed 90,000 developers creating apps from day one? Let us know what you think in the comments below.