Microsoft launched Windows 10 with much fan fare last year. It was a perfect response after dismal Windows 8 performance. But just like with any new OS there is dearth of apps on Windows 10 platform at the moment especially compared to Android and iOS. So, in order to make up for the lost ground in apps department and to lure more customers to new Windows OS, Microsoft has opened its new OS for developers to port and run iOS apps on Windows 10. This decision has made Windows platform more attractive option for users who like to play their favorite iOS apps on PC.
Enabling Windows 10 to play cross-platform apps could turn out to be a master stroke by Microsoft. We all know that quality of iOS apps is unparalleled. So, to allow PC users to have access to best iOS apps and games on PC would help in expanding the market for new Windows 10 platform. So far Microsoft’s focus remains at bringing iOS apps on Windows 10 Phone. But if rumors are to be believed then we are not far from seeing Windows 10 PC to be become the part of this program.
This program will put onus on iOS developers to bring apps to Windows 10 OS with assistance from Microsoft in the form of its development tool. All iOS developers are invited to download compiler from Microsoft’s site to start designing iOS apps for Windows 10, see link below for it. The compiler is named Project Islandwood. Register with the program to start modifying and extend Objective C code on Visual Studio for porting iOS apps on Windows 10.
However, there is one barrier that could hamper the number of iOS apps that could be designed and transferred to Windows 10. Apple recently announced new programming language named Swift for creating iOS apps. This new language is not yet supported by Microsoft Project Islandwood yet, it is expected that future updates will bring support for Swift. But for now only Objective C is supported. This should not discount the plethora of future cross-platform opportunities on Windows 10 this new shift in Microsoft’s policy has opened up.
Link below will take you to the official Microsoft Project Islandwood site where developers can register for iOS apps on windows 10.
Microsoft Project Islandwood Project: Link
