Microsoft bought a company that makes porting apps easier
Xamarin uses a common code base that makes cross-platform apps feel more like native experiences.
Microsoft is taking its relatively new role as a mobile app maker pretty seriously. So much so that it's bought Xamarin, a company that specializes in cross-platform application development. The platform uses a shared C# codebase to "write the full set of native APIs and mobile capabilities provided by each platform," according to Microsoft's Scott Guthrie. In English, that basically boils down to "apps that run really well across Android, iOS and Windows." Satya Nadella and Co. have utilized Xamarin before, of course, on the likes of the Azure cloud platform and Office 365.
"Like many of you [developers], I see Microsoft and Xamarin as a perfect fit," Xamarin's Nat Friedman writes. "Microsoft's mobile-first, cloud-first strategy is a great match for Xamarin products and team." He's right: One of the key strategies for Microsoft under Nadella's leadership has been interoperability. Everything from playing Xbox One games on PC; to universal apps that work across mobile, desktop and tablets. Or, you know Cortana living on three mobile platforms at once. From the sounds of it, we'll hear a whole lot more about this at the upcoming Build conference.
