Salesforce on Tuesday rolled out a platform designed to speed up mobile app development and connect front-end software with enterprise data.
The platform, dubbed Salesforce Platform Mobile Services, provides tools and frameworks to bring apps to multiple devices.
Salesforce argues that enterprises have been caught in trade-offs between user experience, development time and requirements to handle enterprise data. The end result has been slow mobile development times.
"There's a dearth of good enterprise mobile apps," said Scott Holden, vice president of platform marketing at Salesforce. The problem? Mobile developers that increasingly rely on open source frameworks are cut off from enterprise data. Meanwhile, custom code is often required for mobile enterprise apps.
Salesforce's mobile platform primarily includes the following add-ons:
- Salesforce Mobile SDK 2.0, an open source project that aims to connect mobile apps to enterprise data. The SDK allows HTML5 apps to use device features and meet enterprise requirements.
- Developer mobile packs for HTML5 or hybrid mobile apps and access Salesforce data. These packs use Salesforce APIs and leverage JavaScript frameworks.
Salesforce is also adding programs for integrators and consultants to help clients develop mobile apps. Partners in Salesforce's mobile accelerator program includes Capgemini, Deloitte, Bluewolf, Appirio and others.
Here's a look at Salesforce's mobile dev environment.