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Android Apps on Windows 11

blogs.windows.com

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Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#51

Post by madeofpalk »

ajvs wrote: post #17
gavin_gee wrote: post #8

(caveat i worked at MS for years but now don't) One of Microsoft's greatest strengths on show here. Embrace and extend. They made a mess of trying to build an app business with windows RT, Windows 8, windows 10. They can't get into the apple appstore ecosystem so they pivot to embracing the Android ecosystem to have an app catalog on windows. (Ironically what google did with Android was the play that Microsoft should…

Unfortunately another of their strength lies in the 3rd part: "extinguish". It's only a matter of time before their recent software of WSL, GitHub and Android on Windows becomes yet another walled garden.

WSL I struggle to see how WSL could ever be a walled garden. THe only reason it exists is because server infra (including a bunch of Azure!) runs linux, and loads of development workflows are linux-only.

The moment you add something "windows specific" to Linux you prevent it from actually being used because then you can't deploy it.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#52

Post by madeofpalk »

doublerebel wrote: post #46

Requires use of Hyper-V... does this mean they will bring Hyper-V to Home edition? Seems like many users who would run Android apps are likely to crossover with the group of users who are not going to upgrade their Windows license to Pro or better. Windows Subsystem for Android™... runs in a Hyper-V Virtual Machine, like the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

WSL, with Hyper-V, is available in Windows Home.

> The newest version of WSL uses Hyper-V architecture to enable its virtualization. This architecture will be available in the 'Virtual Machine Platform' optional component. This optional component will be available on all SKUs. You can expect to see more details about this experience soon as we get closer to the WSL 2 release.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/faq

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#53

Post by babypuncher »

ajvs wrote: post #17
gavin_gee wrote: post #8

(caveat i worked at MS for years but now don't) One of Microsoft's greatest strengths on show here. Embrace and extend. They made a mess of trying to build an app business with windows RT, Windows 8, windows 10. They can't get into the apple appstore ecosystem so they pivot to embracing the Android ecosystem to have an app catalog on windows. (Ironically what google did with Android was the play that Microsoft should…

Unfortunately another of their strength lies in the 3rd part: "extinguish". It's only a matter of time before their recent software of WSL, GitHub and Android on Windows becomes yet another walled garden.

I really don't see how their Android app support or WSL could realistically go from extend to extinguish.

I don't think Microsoft's MO is to completely dominate your entire stack anymore. They just want to make sure they form some critical piece of it so you can't get rid of them.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#54

Post by sylens »

fleaaaa wrote: post #22
gjsman-1000 wrote: post #21

In classic Microsoft scattershot leadership, the preview is only available to Beta channel members, but not Dev channel members. Typically, new features would go Dev > Beta > RC > Final. This is going Beta > Dev > RC > release. Surprise - Dev channel members (who were there because they wanted Android apps as soon as possible) are pissed. It also doesn't help that Microsoft removed the ability to switch to the Beta c…

Probably something being in conflict with WSA in dev channel is the problem atm. This is first time something is released on beta channel first afaik.

If this is the case, some communication about it would probably go a long way

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#55

Post by madeofpalk »

DeathArrow wrote: post #47
criddell wrote: post #6

I think Microsoft cares more about Android than Google does. They should work out a deal where Microsoft takes over Android.

MS can do their own Android. And it wouldn't even be a terribly stupid ideea. They already sell laptops, so why not phones?

Microsoft already sells an Android "phone" https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-duo

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#57

Post by SahAssar »

wvenable wrote: post #49
SahAssar wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The question wasn't if it was better than a new, from-scratch store. It was if it was better than the current windows store.

The Windows Store would always be from scratch for Android apps. This is just adding the apps from the Amazon store into the Windows Store.

What would be the reason to use android apps on windows besides them not being available on windows? What feature could an android app running on windows do that a windows application couldn't do?

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#58

Post by babypuncher »

criddell wrote: post #19
ajvs wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately another of their strength lies in the 3rd part: "extinguish". It's only a matter of time before their recent software of WSL, GitHub and Android on Windows becomes yet another walled garden.

So you're saying it's only a matter of time before Windows, which is 35 years old, might become a walled garden?

I think this is really unlikely. PC gaming is an increasingly important market for Windows in the consumer space. As more casual users abandon conventional PCs for increasingly capable tablets and smartphones, PC gaming is only becoming and even bigger piece of the pie.

The day Microsoft announces that the next version of Windows will be wholly incompatible with player's existing libraries is the day Windows ceases to be relevant to this market. Suddenly, Wine and Proton on Linux go from being "pretty good, but real Windows works better" to being the best option by a mile.

And this is without mentioning how important legacy support is to enterprise customers. A whole lot of the jank and inconsistent UI designs present in Windows 11 is there because enterprise customers still use old software that relies on old features and APIs.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#59

Post by jodrellblank »

ajvs wrote: post #17
gavin_gee wrote: post #8

(caveat i worked at MS for years but now don't) One of Microsoft's greatest strengths on show here. Embrace and extend. They made a mess of trying to build an app business with windows RT, Windows 8, windows 10. They can't get into the apple appstore ecosystem so they pivot to embracing the Android ecosystem to have an app catalog on windows. (Ironically what google did with Android was the play that Microsoft should…

Unfortunately another of their strength lies in the 3rd part: "extinguish". It's only a matter of time before their recent software of WSL, GitHub and Android on Windows becomes yet another walled garden.

How does "someone can install Linux in a VM on Windows"[1] translate into "ajvs won't be able to use Linux anymore"? I don't see how you can make such a claim with a straight face.

[1] WSL is based on Hyper-V virtual machines.

Re: Android Apps on Windows 11

#60

Post by nsonha »

marcodiego wrote: post #56

Now that they have WSL2 it would be much better to just contribute to waydroid: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28616985

what does WSL 2 have anything to do with it? Most people wouldn't run waydroid on wsl, that's 2 levers of abstraction.
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