Microsoft pleased to be available on Android
Feedback for Tag app has been 'incredible'
Microsoft has announced its first application for the Google Android platform, and has told TechRadar it's glad to be there.
The Tag application, which lets users scan barcodes and then visit online retailers to purchase the goods, has finally been added to Android Market.
While it seems similar to Google's own barcode scanner app, Tag also turns the barcodes into coupons to get money off at certain outlets.
Microsoft has spoken to us about finally being on the Google Android platform, although it wouldn't reveal any details over whether it will be adding other apps to the Market:
"With so many mobile options available to consumers it is critical that Microsoft Tag is available across all of the major mobile platforms," a spokesperson told us.
'Incredible'
"The feedback on this product since we launched last year has been incredible and we want to make sure that everyone can access it.
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"We continue to make progress with Windows Mobile, J2ME, iPhone, Blackberry, Symbian S60 phones and now Google Android. Users can download the Tag Reader from the Market on their Android phone.
"We're very happy to welcome the new users to the Microsoft Tag community."
It's hardly a ringing endorsement of the Android platform, but it's good to see Microsoft sees the value in not cutting off its nose to spite its face despite having a competitor platform in the shape of Windows Mobile.
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.