App developer tool provider Appcelerator has launched a new version of its Titanium development platform and its Appcelerator Cloud Services (ACS) product suite.

Titanium 2.0 adds support for HTML5 mobile web apps, and makes it simpler to integrate cloud services into native or web-based mobile apps.

By adding HTML5 support to the native Android and iOS capabilities of the platform, Appcelerator says the new platform provides a route for developers to develop apps across the fragmented mobile OS and browser market.

ACS can be used in conjunction with Titanium 2.0 but also as a standalone service for developers using other development environments, such as Objective-C, Java, PhoneGap, Sencha and HTML5 technologies.

ACS allows companies to integrate functionality such as push notifications and check-ins into their mobile apps through the use of APIs, doing away with the need to write server code or use SDKs. Appcelerator looks after the deployment and maintenance of a server stack including database, search engine, file storage and application logic.

“Our goal is to help every enterprise and developer quickly and easily create rich, cloud-connected mobile apps for any device and any platform,” said Appcelerator CEO Jeff Haynie.

Other cloud services include user management, photo storage and sharing, location based services, social integration, custom data objects, status updates, embedded chat, ratings, reviews, discussion forums and client identification.

Basic versions of Titanium 2.0 and ACS can already be used for free while commercial versions are available on various pricing plans based on usage, support and services. Developers who deploy mobile web apps using Titanium by 1 June will be entered into a prize draw from which five will win US$1,000 prizes.