Mobile app company Ideaworks3D has launched a new version of its cross-platform SDK, and announced a new brand identity for the product. 

Marmalade is the new brand umbrella for its native cross-platform SDK and cross-platform application development and distribution services. 

The new version takes the SDK to Marmalade 5.0. It also incorporates an Extensions Development Kit (EDK) for developers to easily access any native APIs they choose on iOS and Android, adding to powerful features including multi-threading. The solution can also develop for WebOS and other platforms. 

Niall Murphy, CEO of Ideaworks3D, says: “The market adoption of multiple device formats and operating systems is huge, and the need for developers to have their applications on many of them is now a reality. Developers who adopt smart cross-platform development strategies will win both in the economics and speed of their development, and the differentiation they are able to bring to their applications. Vision Mobiles recent Developer Economics report shows that developers are targeting on average three platforms for each app, with the porting challenge number one in developers minds.”

Marmalade has active partnerships with all major OEMs and platform providers, according to the company. A co-operation was announced with RIM in March 2011, with Playbook support in Marmalade to be released this summer. 

Murphy says: “With Marmalade, developers dont have to choose between performance and portability. Its hugely exciting to see the great games, augmented reality and other location-based apps being created with Marmalade and deployed simultaneously to iOS, Android and beyond.”