You may not always need to access your Windows computer from your Mac or iOS device, but when you do, you might have turned to Austria’s HLW Software, which offered mobile clients for both Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and the Virtual Network Computing (VNC) standard.
Earlier this week, though, the Vienna-based company announced that it had discontinued the iOS, Android, and Mac versions of iTap mobile (along with the rest of its apps), and advised users to instead await official solutions from Microsoft itself, which it said would be “available in app stores later this month.”
That timing seemed more than fortuitous, so we reached out to Microsoft; a spokesperson for the company told us that “Microsoft did acquire specific IP assets from HLW Software Development GmbH (HLW). This was used as a base for development, on top of which we implemented, amongst other things: RDP 8, RemoteApp support, multitouch, and all new UI.”
This move comes amidst other, more prominent Redmond-related news on the mobile app front. Earlier this week, outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer said that an iPad version of Microsoft Office would be released after the company developed a version that was primarily oriented towards a touch interface. (The iPhone version of the office suite has been met with underwhelming reviews.)
While those looking for RDP and VNC clients on their devices may now have one less option with the demise of iTap, they can take heart that an official solution is on its way.
Author: Dan Moren, Contributor
Dan has been writing about all things Apple since 2006, when he first started contributing to the MacUser blog. He's a prolific podcaster and the author of the Galactic Cold War series, including his latest, The Nova Incident.