As any non-iPhone smartphone owner will know, just because an app is available on one device doesn’t mean it’s immediately available on every device.
However, a Waterford-based company, FeedHenry is to take away the pain felt by developers and companies having to start over every time they want to develop an app for a different platform.
FeedHenry is a spin out company from Waterford-based research institute, TSSG (Telecommunications Software and Systems Group) and is a pay-as-you-go cloud solutions provider of business applications for smartphones and social networks.
Claire Phelan, Online Services Manager at the company, which also has offices in Boston and Silicon Valley, explains FeedHenry has taken the research and expertise within TSSG and applied this to its offering which addresses challenges in the mobile apps environment.
Phelan says that the mobile apps scene in particular has exploded over the last few years but other device manufacturers and operator are catching up with leader Apple. “What is now happening is there are a lot of different platforms being used for the development of apps.†Phelan explains if somebody wants to develop an app for another platform they need to recreate or start from scratch every time because they are all written in different languages.
“The solution we provide is based on web-based technologies. It means you can write an app once and deploy anywhere across all different types of mobile from Nokia to Apple through to social media sites through to your desktop,†she explains.
“Instead of targeting your iPhone users you can now target a market. You’re not restricted any more by costs or resources, you don’t have to buy in software and hardware. You literally can just log in to the FeedHenry platform, develop your app, see how it works. We’ll help you if you need the support.â€
FeedHenry, she says, has addressed very thoroughly the issue of fragmentation in the industry and the issue of convergence.
FeedHenry provides the environment for developers to write and test apps and also provides professional services for those that don’t have experience in this area. Examples of how the solution can be used include: integrating an app with backend systems for enterprises or deploying them into Facebook or Twitter or the Apple store or Vodafone 360 store. It also is able to switch on advertising within apps.
FeedHenry recently won an award at CTIA WIRELESS 2010 in Las Vegas. Founded by Barry Downes, the company’s CEO is Cathal McGloin who is mostly based in the US.
See http://feedhenry.eventbrite.com to sign up for a free interactive session on the FeedHenry cloud platform to be held from 7pm to 9pm on Wednesday may 19th in the Science Gallery in Dublin.