Today the bulk of the developers out there tend to focus on the major platforms like Android and iOS. There are other smartphone platforms that devs work on and Microsoft wants to woo Android developers to develop their apps for Windows Phone 7 as well. To make the development process for Android to WinPo 7 easier and smoother for devs Microsoft has announced a new software kit for Android devs.

The kit has two parts to it, the Android to Windows Phone API mapping tool and the Windows Phone 7 guide for Android Application Developers. The latter part of the kit is a whitepaper with over 90 pages and seven chapters. The API mapping too is described as a sort of translation dictionary that will help the Android dev to figure out what WinPo 7 equivalents for Android code is. Microsoft says, “Think of the API mapping tool as being like a translation dictionary.”

Microsoft says that it has also opened the API mapping tool up for feedback from devs. The tool allows the developers to add comments directly to the existing mapping systems if something is inaccurate the devs can let Microsoft know. Microsoft also notes that mapping is tedious work and is ongoing so devs shouldn’t expect mapping for all of the APIs. Microsoft has also hired an “App Guy” that crawls over forums to answer questions about porting Android apps to WinPo 7.

[via Windowsteamblog.com]

4 COMMENTS

  1. Give it up Microsoft. You had your chance and lost the mobile OS war. You should focus on selling software for Android like everybody else. There’s no room or reason to have so many Mobile OSs outhere specially when Android is open and yours isn’t. I have a question for you Microsoft. What are you going to do when Google comes after you with a new Open Android PC OS?!! You know it’s comming. I’m just sitting patiently waiting for Google to intergrate all systems with one Android OS.

  2. After making life miserable for the OS community for decades, Microsoft suddenly realizes how valuable a resource it is and starts wooing it.

    Forget about it. The future will be one without Microsoft.

    http://goo.gl/l2dK3

  3. Hello!! I have a answer for you…..can i install android on my lg e 900 Windows Phone 7??? Apps and games for this mobile are horrible, in my opinion android is the best system.

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