Protocol deal to bring compatible Microsoft apps to iOS, Android

IDG News Service - Microsoft said Tuesday it will license the protocols for many of its enterprise systems to a company that will develop compatible applications for non-Microsoft mobile operating systems, including Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

Agreeya Mobility will develop a suite of mobile applications that will be compatible with Microsoft products such as Remote Desktop Services, Windows Azure, Active Directory and SharePoint.

The goal with the applications is to make it easier for employees to use their consumer gadgets for work, said Microsoft's Sandy Gupta, general manger for its open solutions group.

By licensing Microsoft's protocols, Agreeya will be able to build, for example, an application that will allow workers to view documents on SharePoint on their personal device.

The employee could then print documents on a company printer. "Obviously, this is one step, a concrete step, allowing enterprise services to interoperate with mobile applications," Gupta said.

Microsoft has made similar licensing agreements with other providers to develop such apps, but those were intended for only one device or one type of operating system, Gupta said. The latest agreement will mean a wider range of mobile devices will be included, he said.

Agreeya Mobility, a subsidiary of Agreeya Solutions, works with device manufacturers mainly in Asia to develop software products for handsets and tablets. The company plans to launch the suite of apps in March, said Agreeya Mobility CEO Krish Kupathil.

Several manufacturers are already testing the applications, although Kupathil declined to name the companies. Agreeya wants to work with manufacturers to embed the applications on their devices. The products will also be made available in application stores and other outlets.