14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based software giant Microsoft has just announced the release of a new tool aimed at offering developers of applications for other platforms the possibility to bring their software to the Windows Phone operating system.
The new tool is aimed at Android application developers, and follows the availability of a similar tool for iOS developers.
Android application builders are offered a comprehensive package through which they can easily learn how to port their apps to Microsoft's Windows Phone platform.
The package includes an Android to Windows Phone API mapping tool, as well as the “Windows Phone 7 Guide for Android Application Developers” white paper which has over 90 pages, and which is organized in 7 chapters.
“We’ve added Android to the Windows Phone API mapping tool to help developers find their way around the Windows Phone platform,” Jean-Christophe Cimetiere, Sr. Technical Evangelist – Interoperability, notes in a blog post.
“Think of the API mapping tool as being like a translation dictionary. For example, let’s say that you’re planning a vacation to France. Since you don’t speak the language, you’ll bring a pocket travel dictionary.”
The tool won't actually teach developers build applications for the Windows Phone platform, but it does enable them easily have their apps up and running on the Windows Phone OS, so that they could reach a wider range of users.
One other thing that should be noted here is that the Mapping tool won't cover all of the available APIs for Windows Phone or Android, mainly because the operating systems are different. However, the company is set to expand the coverage as much as possible.
Later this summer, the API Mapping tool should get a taste of Windows Phone Mango, the next flavor of the mobile platform, which is getting ready to arrive on shelves this fall.
Android developers interested in bringing their applications to Windows Phone should head to this post on the company's blog here. They can also access discussion on the matter here.