In 2014, Microsoft bought HockeyApp, the mobile crash analytics and app distribution service. Since that time, Microsoft is transitioning Mobile Apps to HockeyApp from Visual Studio Application Insights. Microsoft has received significant feedback from users concerned that some features that are available in Application Insights are presently unavailable in HockeyApp.
Based on this user feedback, Microsoft has decided to make some changes. HockeyApp will still be Microsoft’s main offering for mobile apps, and users will still receive the same functionality in Application Insights that allow users to manage in-depth analytics on device telemetry. Microsoft laid out the specifics of what will change and what will stay the same.
Here is the list of changes:
- Application Insights will continue to support a “device type” application for iOS, Android and all Windows applications. You can continue to use Application Insights for your existing mobile apps and will be able to create new apps soon. The Analytics and “Continuous Export” features will be supported for “device type” apps in Application Insights. The Analytics feature which is currently disabled for “device type” applications in Application Insights will soon be enabled for these apps.
- Using Analytics, you will be able to do deep analysis over the device telemetry sourced from the HockeySDK. Application Insights SDKs will also continue to be supported for a limited time. We strongly encourage you to switch to the HockeySDK once a compatible version is available. We will be announcing these new versions close to availability dates.
- All other current functionality of the Azure Portal experience outside of Analytics and Continuous Export, including search, drilldown, custom charts, dashboards, etc. will no longer be available. Crash analysis is only available in HockeyApp.
- New functionality added to Analytics in the future – e.g. dashboarding, joining data across mobile and web apps, etc. – should be available for “device type” apps.
- We will soon enable a feature to “link” your “device type” app from Application Insights to HockeyApp. This will be replacing the “Transfer to HockeyApp” function currently provided. Once you “link” the apps there will be an app in HockeyApp that lets you take advantage of HockeyApp capabilities like best-in-class crash reporting and direct user engagement through the feedback feature.
- We have extended the deadline and your existing mobile app will continue to work as it does currently in Application Insights until July 15th. After July 15th, only the features mentioned earlier will be enabled for these apps in Application Insights.
Microsoft will release more details on Applications Insights and HockeyApp in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Microsoft wants you to continue using your mobile apps in Application Insights; you’ll still be getting all the best functionality of HockeyApp too.
