Microsoft now allows Windows 11 testers to try out Android applications. Today, a preview version of Windows Subsystem for Android will be provided to Windows 11 testers and will provide access to the Amazon Appstore application. Testers using Intel, AMD and Qualcomm processors will be able to try out Android applications on Windows 11.
Applications can be loaded through the Microsoft Store, which will list various applications and then point to the Amazon App Store for loading and installation. Android apps can run side-by-side with other Windows apps, and they are also integrated into Alt + Tab and task view, and they can be pinned to the start menu or taskbar.
You can see notifications from Android apps in the action center, or share the clipboard between Windows apps and Android apps, explained the Android team on Windows 11. We considered accessibility when building the experience; many of the Windows accessibility settings apply to Android apps, and we are working with Amazon to provide more improvements.
Microsoft has partnered with Amazon to curate 50 applications for Windows Insiders to test on Windows 11. These include mobile games like Lords Mobile, June’s Journey and Coin Master. There are also reading apps like Kindle, and kids apps like Lego Duplo World or Khan Academy Kids.
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The 50 apps are only a small part of the more than 3 million apps in the Google App Store, compared to the more than 600,000 apps in the Amazon App Store. It is unclear how many Android applications will be available after this feature is widely introduced on Windows 11.
Microsoft has built a subsystem in Windows 11 to support Android applications. It includes the Linux kernel and the Android operating system based on version 11 of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). This subsystem runs in a Hyper-V virtual machine, just like the Windows subsystem of Linux, said Microsoft’s Android application team on Windows 11. It understands how to map the runtime and API of applications in the AOSP environment to the Windows graphics layer, memory buffers, input modes, physical and virtual devices, and sensors.
This subsystem supports AMD, Intel and Qualcomm chips, and Microsoft has partnered with Intel to enable only Arm applications to run on AMD and Intel devices. Microsoft today only enabled Android application support in the Beta channel of Windows 11. The company said that it plans to bring the preview version to development channel users in the future. Users who want to test need to set their Windows 11 computer to the US region. In Beta Channel, it also needs a US Amazon account to access the Amazon App Store.