In line with an engineer at Microsoft, Home windows 11 customers could have the flexibility to sideload Android apps onto the working system, which appears like a solution to one of many greatest questions we had when Microsoft introduced it was bringing Android apps to Home windows 11 by way of the Amazon Appstore (by way of Android Police). Which means as soon as Home windows 11 launches, you received’t simply have to stay to the apps that Amazon makes obtainable, nevertheless it does increase some new questions on how operating Android apps on Home windows will work.
For instance, it’s unclear what the method for operating or putting in a sideloaded app shall be. Chrome OS technically has the flexibility to run sideloaded apps, too, however the course of isn’t precisely straightforward, because it entails enabling Linux and performing some command line work. We requested Microsoft for particulars about what operating Android apps from outdoors the Amazon Appstore could be like, and it supplied us with the next assertion:
Prospects will be capable of uncover Android apps on the Microsoft Retailer and purchase them by means of the Amazon Appstore. We’ll have extra to share at a later date.
Sideloading apps solves the app availability downside, nevertheless it raises considerations of its personal
It’s potential that the will for sideloading apps onto Home windows wouldn’t be as sturdy had Microsoft included Google’s Play Retailer as a substitute of Amazon’s Appstore. Whereas having any app retailer will clearly grant Home windows customers entry to many applications that they couldn’t beforehand run on their computer systems, Amazon’s has some notable omissions from its catalog. If a Home windows person wished to run the Android model of Snapchat or Apple Music, they wouldn’t be capable of get them from Amazon.
Whereas sideloading apps helps resolve this downside, it does increase considerations of its personal. The primary is the query of the place customers will receive these apps: whereas there aren’t prone to be piracy considerations with free apps like Snapchat, the flexibility to load an APK may enable individuals to receives a commission apps free of charge from less-than-legal repositories.
There’s additionally the query of security and whether or not Home windows could have the flexibility to scan sideloaded apps for doubtlessly malicious habits, a characteristic that Google builds into Android already.
Whereas it’s clear that there’s nonetheless lots that Microsoft hasn’t coated about what operating Android apps on Home windows 11’s will really be like (although the technical particulars it’s revealed are fascinating), it’s nonetheless good to have affirmation from somebody at Microsoft that the collection of Android apps received’t simply be restricted to what’s on Amazon’s Appstore.
Hopefully Microsoft will begin sharing extra particulars on precisely how Android apps will work quickly so it might get suggestions from each Home windows customers and Android builders earlier than the characteristic turns into obtainable for everybody, seemingly later this yr.
Up to date June twenty fifth 9:15PM ET: Added assertion from Microsoft.
