Microsoft has acquired HockeyApp, a service that helps developers test their apps and get feedback from users. The company plans to use the platform, akin to Apple's TestFlight (purchased early this year), to attract app creators to its development tools. The folks at Redmond intend to integrate HockeyApp with the Application Insights service in Visual Studio Online to improve support for Android and iOS.

HockeyApp offers developers integrated crash reporting, information on beta distribution, and a built-in user feedback system. It supports Windows Phone in addition to Apple and Google's mobile operating systems.

Developers can continue to use HockeyApp in its current form, but Microsoft is starting the integration right away, and it plans to release an updated Application Insights SDK for Android and iOS within the coming months.

Sources: HockeyApp, Microsoft