Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has stopped working on its Project Astoria "bridge" designed to bring Android apps to Windows 10 devices.
The news came only one day after Microsoft said it acquired Xamarin, a mobile app development platform that enables C# and F# developers to write native apps for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac OS.
"Xamarin's approach enables developers to take advantage of the productivity and power of .NET to build mobile apps, and to use C# to write to the full set of native APIs and mobile capabilities provided by each device platform. This enables developers to easily share common app code across their iOS, Android and Windows apps while still delivering fully native experiences for each of the platforms," Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise group, wrote in a blog post.
Guthrie also pointed out the Xamarin acquisition will allow Microsoft to improve its developer tools and services and provide "deeper integration and seamless mobile app dev experiences."
Microsoft acquires Xamarin https://t.co/9i78iF1VnD & cancels Android to Windows porting tool https://t.co/tUNZbNFoaW
— Alex Jubien (@AlexJubien) March 1, 2016
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Despite the Xamarin acquisition, many app developers were shocked and disappointed about the end of the Project Astoria Android bridge.
Microsoft killed the Project Astoria Android bridge. Surprised? No. Disappointed? Yes!
— Paul O'Brien (@PaulOBrien) February 25, 2016
In the eyes of some developers, the decision to eliminate Project Astoria might be a sign that Microsoft is ready to move away from Windows 10 mobile development altogether.
Microsoft demolishes Bridge for Android -- yet another nail in the Windows 10 Mobile coffin - https://t.co/Q0r4e7Rj4I
— Android Marvin (@androidmy) February 26, 2016
Other developers, however, said they understood why Project Astoria was stopped.
Makes perfect sense: if the apps people want on Windows are available on iOS, an Android bridge adds nothing useful: https://t.co/gCYR6iqZS7
— Ginny Caughey (@gcaughey) February 26, 2016
Microsoft's choice ultimately shows the company has put its full support behind iOS, according to some developers.
@xdadevelopers They chose ios instead, huh. Hope it works out as we need a third platform otherwise it will be a duopoly.
— Helmik Koing (@lolz_koing) February 26, 2016
And of course, the full Project Astoria software development kit (SDK) remains available for developers who want to honor its memory.
In tribute to project astoria, here's the full sdk:https://t.co/YSgvu7K13g
— Gustave M. (@gus33000) February 26, 2016