150 apps and billions of installs: the lessons Microsoft has learned in developing for Android

What you need to know

  • Microsoft released data and insights about its apps on Android.
  • Microsoft's Android applications have logged billions of downloads.
  • Teams working on different projects use a variety of approaches to improve their projects.

Microsoft is one of the leading developers of applications on the Android platform, and they've released information about their approach to app development. A new article titled "Hello, world!" outlines how Microsoft uses different styles, methodologies, and approaches to create their applications.

New figures illustrate how far Microsoft has come when it comes to creating apps on Android. Microsoft has over 150 apps in the Google Play Store, with 70 actively in development. Nine of their apps have over 100 million downloads, and five of them have over 500 million downloads. There was once a point where Microsoft felt closed off to outside companies and platforms, but that's certainly not the case today.

The article shares some interesting insights on how Microsoft has spread its development around the globe and how they adapt to different situations using a variety of tools and team approaches. Android apps are developed by Microsoft at fifteen sites around the world.

Microsoft uses Kotlin, C++, Xamarin, React Native, and Java to create apps. They also use a variety of tools like Azure DevOps, FLOSS, and Github to organize their projects.

Microsoft shifted its strategy regarding mobile development a few years ago and has fully embraced Android as well as iOS. Microsoft also announced a new Twitter account to stay up to date on the latest news about Microsoft on Android.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

Whether on a desktop or laptop PC, you always need more ports to connect things to. This hub gives you an additional four USB 3.0 Type A ports.

Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.