By Stephen Schenck | June 9, 2011 3:13 PM
Microsoft recently created a database tool for iOS developers, hoping to encourage them to port some of their works over to Windows Phone 7. The tool takes iOS API calls and displays the WP7 equivalents, giving developers unfamiliar with the platform a starting point from which they can begin their efforts coding for WP7. Now the company has followed-up April’s iOS tool with one for Android-to-WP7 API translation.
Obviously, there’s a lot more to porting an app then just changing the system calls for the proper OS, but more than just providing a resource for developers, this action by Microsoft shows the WP7 user community that it’s committed to building up the selection of WP7 apps. Platform exclusives may be nice, but the company isn’t shying away from fleshing out its library with hand-me-downs.
In addition to the API mapping tool, Microsoft has prepared ninety pages of instructional documents for introducing WP7 programming to Android coders. Since there will be times when a direct API translation isn’t possible, Microsoft has tasked one of its WP7 gurus with manning the forums, looking to provide help for new developers getting their feet wet with WP7. Sounds like good news for the Windows Phone app library!
