I am new to FileMaker and evaluating between mySQL and FileMaker as a backend database for Apple or Android App. Does FileMaker allow to connect easily with Apple App? I think it should but was not able to find anything on this. Thanks for the help.

you can go do filemaker and download a 30 day demo then head to the iTunes app store and download FMGO for free.

you can play with the sample files in FMP to see if it something that will work.

Sorry no Android...

Both Object C (for iOS) and Java (for android) can easily consume XML. So you can easily connect to FMS' XML interface and exchange data that way.

You could even use fmDotNet (www.fmdotnet.org) and use Xamarin's monoTouch / mono for Android (http://xamarin.com/) to write your code once and deploy to both platforms.

For android there is a new app, call FMDROID. Using XML principle explain by Wim Decorte.

(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smefworks.android.fmdroid)

"FMDroid is the first native Android app designed for accessing FileMaker® databases. FMDroid uses the FileMaker XML gateway of the Web Publishing Engine of FileMaker Server to retrieve information from your FileMaker databases."