Windows Bridge for iOS is a tool developed by Microsoft for bringing Apple iOS apps to the Windows platform. Microsoft first announced the open-source Windows Bridge for iOS technology at its Build 2015 conference in April 2015, and the company debuted an early “Developer Preview” version of the technology later in August of the same year.
Formerly known as “Project Islandwood,” the Windows Bridge for iOS tech enables Apple iOS developers to create Windows apps using their existing Objective-C code and skills. Windows Bridge for iOS provides four core components for developers: an Objective-C compiler, an Objective-C runtime, iOS API headers and Visual Studio IDE integration.
Windows Bridge for iOS Support and Other ‘Bridges’
The Windows Bridge for iOS supports both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 apps built for x86 and x64 processor architectures, with future support for ARM processors, adding mobile support as a result.
In addition to the iOS Bridge, Microsoft has several other “bridges” in development, including Windows Bridge for Android (“Project Astoria”), Windows Bridge for Web apps (“Project Westminster”) and Windows Bridge for Classic Windows apps (“Project Centennial”).
