Telerik, a global cross-platform software tools provider, is getting ready to roll out a new version of its breakthrough Icenium product, which will preview unified backend support for mobile apps. Icenium lets developers build mobile apps, mobile websites and hybrid apps for any platform and any device without having to use specific proprietary SDKs or software packages. Basically, Icenium raises the bar in simplifying mobile application development with cloud mobile back-end services.

The mBaaS market is still nascent, but is starting to heat up evidenced by Facebook’s acquisition of Parse and even Google’s new Mobile Backend Starter project for Android apps. The difference in what Icenium has rolled out is that existing alternative mBaaS solutions layer on yet another SDK that developers need to purchase, download, learn how to use, and manage. Icenium takes an opposite approach. This way, Telerik provides independent alternative to Facebook/Parse, Salesforce.com and Heroku.

“As the mobile application development market continues to advance, with it comes the need for full, end-to-end platforms equipped to handle its unique requirements,” said Todd Anglin, EVP of Cross-Platform Tools & Services at Telerik. “Telerik has a proven track record of innovation, success and customer satisfaction. Our solutions are widely adopted across a customer-base of over 100,000 paying developers and Telerik Icenium is poised to be the platform of choice for those looking to meet market demand for mobile applications quickly and easily.”

Here are the new features included in Icenium:

• Icenium Everlive project templates that automatically provision the cloud back-end service;
• Data navigator that allows developers to explore the structure of back-end projects and have everything needed for developing an awesome mobile app;
• Cloud code to execute business logic and validations without replication;
• User management that makes apps social by allowing users to register and login with a few lines of code;
• Kendo UI DataViz that creates rich HTML5 charts and gauges that can be easily embedded in hybrid mobile apps.

Developers can use any coding language they are skilled in, on any machine – or browser – of their choosing, to code, update and deploy apps. All platform dependencies are turned into cloud services, which no other mobile app development platform on the market today can claim this, including Appcelerator, Xamarin, Sencha, Salesforce Touch, and others. Adding cloud-based backend integrations to Icenium’s Integrated Cloud Environment is a natural next step in their goal to provide developers with tools for easily managing the entire development lifecycle. This, indeed, looks like Icenium being most compelling mobile application development platform for building hybrid app UIs with supporting cloud-based back-end services. Isn’t it?