Microsoft’s Windows Phone Store now has more than 200,000 titles, with the app store seeing more than 12 million ‘transactions’ per day, the company revealed.

Although it is unclear exactly what ‘transactions’ encompass, the figure has increased considerably from the nine million per day reported in September.

In a post on the Windows Phone Developer Blog, Todd Brix, director of the Windows Phone apps team, said the company is “already seeing momentum build” in the Store, driven by promotions and the run-up to Christmas.

Brix urged developers to finish their Windows Phone titles or update those they already offer to take advantage of the Christmas uptick in demand and slew of recently-launched Windows Phone devices.

Microsoft introduced gift cards to encourage users to discover and purchase apps on their new devices, with the company forecasting that more than $100 million worth will be available in user accounts across 41 markets.

Microsoft is establishing more direct billing relationships with operators to boost uptake in markets where credit card penetration is low. According to Brix, there are now 51 operator connections in 31 markets for direct billing, “substantially more than any other smartphone platform”.

The company has seen a six-fold increase in transaction volume in developing markets where direct billing has been introduced.

Brix also promised “creative new approaches” in the new year to help developer reach users.

He also recommended developers focus on a number of areas to boost downloads and revenue.

These include selecting the global distribution option in the Dev Center when submitting apps to boost geographic reach, and publishing to markets where direct billing is available, as this has been shown to boost downloads.