Microsoft releases Windows Azure toolkit for IOS developers

SOFTWARE HOUSE Microsoft has announced Windows Azure development toolkits for Windows Phone 7 (WP7) and Apple's IOS, with a preview for Google's Android.

Microsoft's Windows Azure Toolkit allows developers to access to the company's Azure cloud service from smartphone applications. Applications on WP7 and IOS phones can access data held on Azure cloud services, allowing data to be shared between applications on different devices.

Microsoft had previously released its Windows Azure Toolkit for WP7 last month but the firm has now announced updates that include integration with the Windows Azure Access Service and full support for Windows Azure Storage Queues. While Microsoft is updating the Azure Toolkit for WP7, Android developers get only a prototype preview, with the firm saying it will arrive in the Summer.

Although Microsoft has said Android support will be forthcoming, it did release Windows Azure Toolkit for Apple's IOS. The company said, "Developers can download the package and quickly get started writing iPhone apps on the Windows Azure platform without having to have intimate knowledge of Microsoft tools, such as Visual Studio," adding that a sample IOS application and documentation are provided.

Microsoft is pushing its Azure cloud service very heavily and one area where it wants to grow rapidly is the use of Azure with smartphones and tablets. So while it's not surprising to see Microsoft favour its own WP7 operating system in the Windows Azure Toolkit, it must know that if it really wants to make a success of its Windows Azure service it will also have to release similar tookits for Android and IOS. µ