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Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

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Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#191
post #96

But why? I can think of exactly 0 Android apps I would like to run on my Windows desktop (and I've been an Android user since the original Samsung Galaxy S). Is this really something people crave to do?

Yes. I want to run Pleco on my desktop.

I might also want to run wechat there, though that could run into a variety of issues.

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#192
post #96

But why? I can think of exactly 0 Android apps I would like to run on my Windows desktop (and I've been an Android user since the original Samsung Galaxy S). Is this really something people crave to do?

> I can think of exactly 0 Android apps I would like to run on my Windows desktop

Maybe you present a minority of the user base and this is not targeted to you. So, yes.

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#193
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Google were to ditch Android for Fuchsia, I could see this Microsoft/Amazon alliance stepping in and saying they'll build Android moving forward.

Fuchsia is a kernel, not operating system. Google intends to swap Linux under Android to Fuchsia. One reason is the bad track record of Linux supporting device drivers.

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#194

Some years later everyone will realize that desktops are not phones and are meant to utilize more available screen space. Then everyone will come up with "revolutionary" desktop interface ideas and we here at HN will call it out that we already had these back in 90s. I am waiting for that time. Windows 10 is "phony" already and becoming more like it's built for people with low vision. I hate it's UI. I hope bringing…

That already happened once, that's how we got Windows 10 after the tablet-first travesty that was Windows 8. And I agree with you, we'll likely see it happen again.

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

oh this makes more sense: JVM apps run in Windows with some simple JVM container. Intel Bridge Technology is only needed for the apps that have compiled native code.

> some simple JVM container no, there's a new NT subsystem to support this: Windows Subsystem for Android, and as you could guess from the name, it is somewhat related to WSL. the NT kernel was always designed to accommodate multiple subsystems running at once. Until WSL, there was only ever the Windows subsystem itself. soon there will be a third subsystem one can install. this is neat, to me.

There was a posix subsystem as well in the early days, however it lacked functionality and was used as a “check that box” for procurement rather then functionality

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To kill Chromebooks

OTOH, now that I can sell my Android apps on the Microsoft store, why would I even bother to make a Windows-specific port? Blackberry tried it with Blackberry 10 and failed. IBM failed the same way with OS/2. If you make your OS compatible with a foreign platform, there is less incentive to write original software for it and, therefore, there is less reason to get your platform instead of the one you are compatible w…

As a user though, why would I get an operating system / device that can only run Android software when I can get a device that can run both Android and Windows software?

And as an Android dev, I now have an incentive to optimize for Microsoft device form factors, which is a lot easier to do and maintain than making a whole port

And I don't see that there are too many developers who are now writing Windows desktop apps who will suddenly decide to rewrite for Android. Cos what apps are native? Stuff like CAD software, Unity, Photoshop, etc - stuff that has heavy complex UIs and wouldn't work well if at all in most Android contexts

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not exactly. Play services/GCM is the push notification system on Android. Even on my completely degoogled phone I have to use microG to support push notifications from google's servers because every app developer has hardcoded their app to use GCM. It doesn't have to be that way. An alternate push notification service with a client alternative could be made available. Developers and users could start using it. Ideal…

Amazon Appstore (used for Microsoft's Android integration in Windows 11) uses Amazon Device Messgaing (ADM) instead of Google's Firebase Cloud Messgaing (FCM) for push notifications. A FCM receiver is built into Google Play Services to enable push notifications for Play Protect certified Android devices, but ADM is a viable alternative for Amazon and Microsoft as long as developers tailor and submit apps to the Amazo…

See also https://unifiedpush.org/ which has a Gotify connector

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#198
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Google were to ditch Android for Fuchsia, I could see this Microsoft/Amazon alliance stepping in and saying they'll build Android moving forward.

Fuchsia is a kernel, not operating system. Google intends to swap Linux under Android to Fuchsia. One reason is the bad track record of Linux supporting device drivers.

I thought Zircon is the kernel and Fuchsia is the operating system. Though that wouldn't prevent Google from building Android on top of Fuchsia.

Re: Microsoft is bringing Android apps to Windows 11

#199
post #188

I'm super excited to try the Android Apple Music app on Windows! We've been stuck with the bloated, slow iTunes desktop app for so long now. I was hoping they'd announce an update for it along with lossless and spatial audio, but there's been nothing so far.

Have you tried the web player? Also the beta version for Android has lossless and spatial
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