X
Tech

Microsoft's iOS bridge to Windows 10 is moving forward

Microsoft is readying an analyzer to help iOS developers check compatibility of their apps with the Windows iOS bridge toolkit.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is getting closer to opening its bridge to iOS developers to help them develop versions of their apps to Windows 10.

iosbridge.jpg

Microsoft officials are remaining mum about the status of its "Astoria" bridge for bringing Android apps to Windows 10. (Word is plans for that bridge may have been scuttled.) But it looks like it's full steam ahead with the iOS bridge, codenamed "Islandwood."

FraWin.com's Cassim Ketfi discovered an update to Microsoft's Windows Bridge for iOS page that indicates Microsoft will be launching a new web tool "in the coming weeks" designed to automatically analyze iOS apps for compatibility with the iOS bridge.

The coming app analyzer is in testing at the moment, but those interested in trying out the tool can sign up now through Microsoft's site to be one of the first to get results from it.

Here's more on what the analyzer will do from Microsoft's page:

"You'll be able to see exactly how much work you'll have to do to bring your app to Windows, along with suggestions, tips and workarounds for any libraries you're using that the bridge doesn't support yet."

The Windows iOS bridge relies on an Objective-C development environment for Visual Studio to help iOS developers build Universal Windows Platform apps. Microsoft open sourced and moved an early version of the code for that bridge to GitHub in August 2015.

In addition to the iOS and Android bridges, Microsoft also developed a Web bridge for Windows 10 ("Westminster") and is working on a bridge to help developers package and publish existing .NET and Win32 apps to the Windows Store ("Centennial"). Microsoft partner Mobilize.Net also developed a bridge to help Windows Phone Silverlight apps to the Universal Web Apps platform.

Editorial standards