Microsoft buys HockeyApp to help expand its support for mobile app developers

By John Callaham
published

Microsoft has announced today the acquisition of Stuttgart, Germany-based company HockeyApp, which provides Windows Phone, iOS and Android developers with detailed app crash reports, along with a way to distribute beta versions of those apps. The specific financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed in the announcement.

This latest move is yet another example of Microsoft servicing app developers working on platforms other than the company's own Windows OS. Microsoft stated:

In the coming months, we will introduce new iOS and Android SDKs for Application Insights based on the features of HockeyApp. Application Insights offers a 360-degree view of application usage, availability, and performance across both client and server/cloud application components. Integrating HockeyApp crash reports with Application Insights usage analytics will extend device support for Application Insights across all major mobile platforms and make application analytics an ambient part of the application development cycle with support for all tiers of a modern "mobile first, cloud first" solution.

Source: Microsoft (opens in new tab)

John Callaham
John Callaham
60 Comments
  • Hope you will soon see Microsoft making android device with pureview camera.
  • Microsoft, the owner of the OS Windows, making an Android device? What are you smoking? Why even wish for such a thing?
  • Is it really that impossible? Not too ling ago office on ios was considered impossible as well, wouldn't put it past the "new" Microsoft.
  • Yup! You can count on the impossible with Microsoft, they have now provided ios and android with all the MSN apps :(
  • The msn apps make sense. Ad revenue is ad revenue. It also encourages people to make a Microsoft account, especially with MSN money.
  • There won't be an Lumia Android device just like there wont be a Chrome PC. It just wouldn't make sense. It does make sense to spread out the apps so that people on other devices have access to the same apps as they have on their PC. Windows is still the top OS for computers and MS is just giving people a shared experience. In the long run it might persuade people to get WP device over iOS and Android.
    And I really cannot imagine why anyone would have their PureView experience ruined by Android... Lollipop is the first performance improvement in years and on top it actually looks good. Android has always been a lacky experience if you weren't running the absolutely latest hardware.
  • Yes, it's impossible, these are Apps and Services, MS it's a Services company now, not software, that's why Windows would be free, and that's why MS need they services on all devices, as much as users they reach. Those releases has nothing to do with phone or hardware. MS lose a lot of space because of this new mobile era, and they NEED to be on all devices they can, it's all about services. It's hard to conciliate that with WP, but they need to do that, they can't support itself on Windows and Windows Phone anymore. Have you a iOS? Yes ... But you're using a Microsoft services (365 for example). Have you an Android device? Yes ... But you're using and providing data to a Microsoft services. Nadella is a smart guy, and his vision already put MS just behind Apple. (sorry about the poor English)
  • Also, HockeyApp it's cross-platform, and will be integrated over Visual Studio online, so it's not an Android thing.
  • I wonder if that's possible...let me check one of the bunch of the until-now WP-exclusive MSN apps that Microsoft just released on the Play Store and see if that idea is really that farfetched...
  • If said device supports Microsoft services front and center, perhaps
  • What do you mean it is imporsible? I'll take it a notch up, Microsoft will improve and enhance ios and android developers experience, teach them how to seamlesly embed MSFT features into ios and android. (Noticed not a single mention of windows) Yup, That is new Microsoft for you.
  • Microsoft will release whatever is necessary for their survival in the market. If they feel there is money in doing things on other platforms too, they will do it. They are first and formost a SOFTWARE company. They need to push WP but they also need to watch the game en-large. Fanboyism is not a good business strategy. So yes, I can see them even releasing Android phones if that helps them topple Samsung, for example. At their level its a very big and complex game with very big stakes.
  • If that's sarcasm, I'll telling you: You're bad at it
  • oh my god, don't go full retard. jst don't. i hope ure being sarcastc/a troll
  • I'd hope to get one! Imagining the idea of a dream phone with the preview camera & Nokia built quality which both now owned by MS + android L !! I'D GET THAT FOR SURE!
  • These moves probably boosts Microsoft' cloud infrastructure Azure in some way. Remember cloud first? Yeah.
  • Yes, we remember... Cloud First, Mobile First Competitor first Windows last...
  • You are right on the money
  • You dope, incase you missed it Microsoft killed the 2 Android phones Nokia used to make.
  • Microsoft is more than mobile...
  • devices pl change and Microsoft with windows 10 will build ecosystem very huge. its all about ecosystem.
  • Yeah Microsoft discontinued the Nokia X series.
  • What, Android, never, such a virus maschine.
  • If you can play with, buy it.
  • sorry to be off topic but with dev preview updates, Microsoft isnt optimizing and eliminating the bugs with wp8.1.
  • Properly they're concentrating on WP 10.
  • that I know theyvare focused on windows 10. that's good. so i guess they should provide us the dev preview windows 10 for phones soon that till spring or summer. we csn give them good feedback and help them to fix and improve performance of of windows 10 just how they have released technical preview of windows 10 for PCs.
  • No offtopic please, use the forums.
  • I got really excited and was hoping this was referring to some hockey related app that would improve the NHL portion of Bing (cough, MSN) Sports, or something like that.
  • Yea we desperately need a solid NHL app!! Gamecenter would be nice too
  • Absolutely.
  • It's good to see Microsoft trying to address the app situation. I hope more apps arrive on Windows Phone soon.
  • Which hockey is Ms talking about? Ice hockey or grass hockey?
  • Let's Go Caps! [Going to a game tonight ]
  • Yey! India defeated Belgium 4-2 in champions trophy hockey match!!!! Semis beeteeen indo Pak!
  • Cool. Nothing like watching Ovechkin grow roots at the offensive dot and then get off for a line change unsteady of backchecking. Haha. J/K
  • Damn it. Was going it was some how NHL related.
  • msn sports needs cricket full scorecard updates. its good for American sports and football but not at all good for cricket scorecards. but i imagine windows 10 apps to be at a greater level.
  • Yes I agree with you!!! Show live cricket scores and full scoreboard, upcoming matches etc
  • seriously the bing team msn team has been doing nothing with the app to give change log.
  • Apps apps apps apps. -2014
  • They didn't even mention wp in there statement.... Talk about first class treatment.
  • Soon Microsoft will buy Apple -_-
  • Apple's market value is supperior to Microsoft's...I don't know where they'd get the money for that.
  • They probably won't, but MSFT saved Apple's ass once.
  • Well technically Microsoft already owns part of apple and all they really need to do is buy controlling interest that would mean 51% Microsoft might not have enough to buy them out full but the could take control of the majority or there share its called a hostile takeover. Probably won't happen but possible cuz to tell the truth apple shares have been falling Microsoft's has been rising.
  • Market value isn't everything. Microsoft has infinitely more assets than Apple, they are just not all liquid.
  • http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/08/19/apples-iphone-is-now-...
  • DJ , I know just kidding
  • Hopefully not the opposite
  • God! None is up for sale. Or will be, in distant future. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
  • Hmm
  • Gadgets Authority
  • I will give you an idea. Why don't you buy snap chat ? That will get you more expansion
  • We all only want OS updates!! C'mon......
  • Too bad they don't have real hockey! apps... 
  • I hate that word Android!
  • buy ms loves the money earned thru its patents.
  • I hope Microsoft starts to use the stated service to fix windows phone apps as well as soon as possible.
  • Top 3 apps on iOS. Just... wow