Local app firm sets sights on Windows 8

Kiwi company aims to get drop on competition with early launch of product on new Microsoft platform

A New Zealand software developer - whose popular iPhone app makes video appear like it was shot on super 8mm film - is hoping to get the edge on its competitors through an early launch on Microsoft's Windows 8 platform.

MEA Mobile has released over 70 apps in the last year for the iPhone, iPad and Android-based devices and is now making a play on the new version of Windows.

The company launched its iSupr8 app on Windows 8 when the software was released to the market last week.

The app, which has been download by millions of iPhone users and been compared to photo-sharing platform Instagram, offers users the ability to adjust the grain of video footage to give it a vintage feel.

The Windows version of the iSupr8 can be used on either personal computers, tablets or mobile devices that run the new software.

MEA Mobile co-founder Rod Macfarlane said Windows 8 presented an "exciting opportunity" that had open-ed up the playing field for developers.

"Windows and Microsoft still has to prove itself in terms of that marketplace for developers but [with] the numbers that are being put out there's potentially a half billion users that might upgrade to Windows 8. So for us on day one that means there's a massive market that we can access," Macfarlane said.

Macfarlane said that while the Apple store had around 700,000 apps on offer, Windows 8 had only about 7000 when it was released.

"So you've got a much louder voice in that market. When you're competing with the majors and big brands with massive marketing budgets, if you can be first on that platform then you get a first-mover advantage."

MEA Mobile, which claims to be the most prolific mobile development company in the country, was established two years ago as a spin-off of management and incubation firm Macfarlane, Engel & Associates.

The company has around 20 staff and offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Singapore and Connecticut.

MEA Mobile's US-based office handles business development in North America and all its app building is still done in New Zealand. "We can do all that [work] overnight their time and deliver it to brands before they get up in the morning."

As well as building its own apps, the company invests in applications being built by other developers.