Microsoft Releases Azure Mobile Apps Connector and Mobile SDK for Dynamics CRM

Microsoft has announced the availability of Azure Mobile Apps connector for Dynamics CRM Online and an updated Mobile SDK (Software Developer Kit) for Dynamics CRM. These, writes Bob Stutz, corporate vice president Microsoft Dynamics CRM, "[Enable] our customers and partners to easily create unique mobile CRM experiences - tailored to how businesses and people use it across various industries and roles."

Microsoft promises that Azure Mobile Apps (part of the recently announced Azure App Service) provides "open, easy to use services to let developers build apps for any device, and any platform." Microsoft wants developers building mobile CRM to look to Azure for its scale and a host of tools and features including offline sync, cross-platform notifications, unified identity, and more. Using the Azure Mobile Apps connector (and as described on the Azure blog), developers can:

• build native and cross-platform iOS, Windows, and Android apps that work offline and sync data with Dynamics CRM Online;
• use Dynamics CRM Online for customer data, taking advantage of rich analytics, social insights, and integrations with Office 365 and Skype;
• run rich backend logic in Azure App Service, augmenting data operations, federating across multiple data stores, handling conflicts, sending push notifications, authenticating users with Azure Active Directory, and "enjoying a great Dev/Ops experience."

The updated Dynamics CRM Mobile SDK includes new templates, libraries and samples for Android, iOS and Windows platforms, to help developers create native mobile apps with Dynamics CRM. The ...