Microsoft adds free tool Xamarin for building smartphone apps

Building your own smartphone app takes resources and know-how, but it’s easier thanks to a free tool by Microsoft.

Microsoft says Xamarin creates what’s called a native language app.

Building your own smartphone app takes resources and know-how, but it’s easier thanks to a free tool by Microsoft.

The Seattle-based computer giant says it will provide for free a tool called Xamarin that lets developers build apps for smartphones and tablets.

Further, the tool uses a single slice of code to build apps for three different ecospheres at the same time: Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android and Microsoft Windows.

App builders often create an app for iPhones and iPads before making one for Android and Microsoft Windows.

By offering Xamarin for free. Microsoft is obviously hoping to not be third in line when a new app is created.

Microsoft says Xamarin creates what’s called a native language app. The working version is indistinguishable from an app that was especially written for one specific ecosystem.

However those building apps will need some skills and tools. You’ll need to be conversant with C#, or C Sharp, a computer language similar to Java developed by Microsoft about 16 years ago.

You’ll also need Microsoft Visual Studio. Those developing apps for iOS devices will need to have a Mac device running on their development network.

But with a little effort, creating an app may no longer be as daunting as it once was. Microsoft’s software offering includes an emulator where you can test your app on a big variety of virtual phones and tablets before releasing it.

The move to make Xamarin free follows Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in February. Previously developers could pay four-figure sums to use it.

Microsoft lists Coco-Cola Bottling, Honeywell and gaming companies SuperGiant Games and Gummy Drop as among firms usings Xamarin. It claims more than 1.3 million developers and more than 100 Fortune 500 companies use the tool.