Windows App Studio Beta is a free, online app creation tool that provides a simple way to quickly build Windows and Windows Phone apps as well as generates source code ready for Visual Studio. With this latest release, Microsoft is providing new features, design related improvements, and new templates.
Among the new features are:
- WordPress Data Source: There is a new WordPress data source that lets developers connect an app to a WordPress blog.
- Related Content: Developers can now show related content in a section.
- Microsoft Advertising: The inclusion of Microsoft Ad control provides the opportunity to place advertising in an app.
New design features include:
- New Carousel Control: Offers the ability to display a number of hero images in a single section that behave like a slideshow.
- Improved Section Design Features: There are now more features including the ability to change the background and adjust the hero image for each section individually and choose how each section appears on the default/home section of an app.
New templates include:
- WordPress Template: Showcases the new WordPress data source.
- Events: This template uses the new Related Content feature to help build an event centric app.
- My Shop: This template provides the ability to display a catalog of products. This template also adapts to portfolio situations for photographers, artists, designers, and anyone who creates or sells content.