CBS News (Pueblo, Colo.)

— Microsoft has hired a web developer to develop the company’s mobile web application, Microsoft announced Thursday.

The company said the developer will be based in the United States.

The hiring of John Fritsche is significant as Microsoft is trying to bolster its mobile Web presence in the face of competition from Google and Apple.

Fritsch, who previously worked at Adobe, is a native speaker and has worked on mobile apps for both Microsoft Windows and mobile operating systems.

The company is looking for someone who can code in C++ and Java and provide web development expertise, Microsoft said in a blog post.

Fritsche, who was based in San Francisco, will be a part of Microsoft’s team of developers, who will be responsible for the development of the company-wide Windows and Windows Phone mobile applications, the company said.

Fritz was hired in late 2013 and will work on mobile app development in collaboration with other Microsoft employees.

Microsoft also announced that it will create a new mobile app developer program, which is designed to recruit and retain highly skilled, technically skilled engineers with strong experience building mobile apps.

The new program will offer technical and programming training in mobile application development and development of mobile web applications.

Microsoft said it is hiring 10 developers to work on the program.