Windows 11 spotted running Android apps – so support could be arriving soon

Windows 11 doesn’t boast Microsoft’s promised native support for Android apps but, as these eager to have it have likely observed in the event that they’ve adopted the brand new OS, however the excellent news is that it seems to be like this much-awaited function could be coming earlier than too lengthy.

Or no less than we’ve caught a glimpse of Android apps now running below Windows 11 in testing, going by a leak from Bilibili (China) as highlighted by Windows Latest.

The principle is – and naturally, take this with some extent of warning, as with all leak – that Microsoft is now testing the Android Subsystem for Windows 11, and that’s precisely what these spilled screenshots (which embrace a glimpse of WeChat) present.

If testing is underway internally, this means that fairly soon we will anticipate the function to make its option to the repeatedly launched preview builds of Windows 11 (and subsequently on to the complete model of Microsoft’s OS).

It’s a great signal, at any charge, and it’s backed up by the truth that Amazon’s App Store has been current within the Microsoft Store since a few month in the past (although it’s not but accessible for download, in fact). Amazon’s retailer is how Microsoft will ship Android apps in Windows 11 (somewhat than Google Play – and clearly with the constraints therein, as not each app is carried by Amazon, by any means).

What’s additionally fascinating right here is that the spilled display screen grabs present a number of Android apps open in several home windows on the similar time, so multi-tasking will be facilitated right here, as you may anticipate. Furthermore, any Android software will act like Windows software program, by way of having the ability to resize home windows and so forth (and so they’ll work with the Notification Center too). The more seamless the combination, the higher, naturally.

Analysis: An thrilling glimpse, however there’s nonetheless no official timeframe

Support for Android apps was one thing that was anticipated to debut with the preliminary model of Windows 11, as talked about, however as soon as we began getting near the discharge of the brand new OS, with no signal of the function in take a look at builds, it grew to become clear sufficient that it wasn’t going to make the minimize.

Since then, the query has turn into precisely how lengthy are we going to have to attend for Android apps to grace the Windows 11 desktop? And no less than seeing tangible proof that testing is underway means that we would not have all that lengthy to go – no less than till Android support hits the official Windows 11 preview builds. Testing is predicted to start out earlier than 2021 ends, in fact, so we would simply see one thing occur within the subsequent month on that entrance.

The highway to launch for the complete model of Windows 11 could be an extended and windier one, although, and we should keep in mind that Microsoft has dropped to a cadence of only one main function replace per yr – so the following OS improve isn’t coming till the second half of 2023. Because that is such a giant function, it could not pitch up till then, however you by no means know, there’s at all times the opportunity of a function pack replace arriving beforehand, earlier in 2023. We’ll simply should see.

Meantime, Android apps can nonetheless be used with Microsoft’s OS so long as you undergo the Your Phone app, however that’s a restricted means of doing issues, and hardly the identical as having native support built-in.