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Windows 11 includes a number of brand-new features, including an improved start menu, more snap layout customization, and increased app and service interaction with Microsoft. The Windows Subsystem for Android, which enables your PC to run Android apps, is one of the greatest upgrades. The subsystem was first launched as a preview.
However, it has since dropped that restriction with a significant Windows 11 2022 upgrade. Microsoft isn't sitting back and taking things easy either. With the transition to the most recent Android 13 OS, it already has plans to enhance the subsystem.
When Microsoft revealed native support for Android applications in its Windows 11 operating system last year, it made a significant impact. This new functionality was made available by the release of the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) and a partnership with Amazon for the Amazon Appstore. Users have anxiously awaited Android application support for Windows.
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How significant is the alliance between Microsoft and Android on Windows 11?
The Android-on-Windows functionality (which is still in Preview) doesn't use Google's version of Android and does not provide access to the vast selection of apps available in the Google Play Store. Thus, there is a valid explanation for the limited availability. Windows 11 uses the Android open-source project and relies on Amazon for the app-store.
The Amazon Appstore has more than 1,000 apps, but the vast majority of them are games. The only two notable applications are, of course, both from Amazon: the Audible app for listening to audiobooks, and the Kindle app for reading books purchased through Amazon. You may utilize your expensive laptop as though it were an Amazon Fire tablet by running either software on a tablet such as the Surface Pro X or Surface Pro 8 using Windows 11, which isn't exactly an appealing offer for potential customers.
The majority of Android users' favorite applications are not available on the Amazon Appstore. You won't be able to discover any home automation tools to manage the lights, thermostat, and other smart home features used on a daily basis. There are very few news-related applications, no music services (not even Amazon Music), and no financial tools.
Upgrade Path
Microsoft also wants to add file transfer capabilities, making it thankfully simpler to transfer data across Windows and Android components of the system, in addition to upgrading the WSA to Android 13 on Windows 11. To further reduce the compartmentalization of the Windows Subsystem for Android, Microsoft will also offer default access to the local network.
Shortcuts, an Android feature that allows apps to link to specific functions, are another upcoming enhancement. For instance, messaging software may offer a shortcut to a regular user, saving you from having to manually navigate the chat each time. Picture-in-picture mode is another feature that will soon be available. As a result, Windows users operating Android media apps will be able to sketch on top of the Windows UI.
Compatibility
This feature is not available on all PCs. The Windows Subsystem for Android is currently only available in the United States, although this will certainly change in upcoming versions. Additionally, your computer must comply with the following system prerequisites
- Windows 11 version 22000.0 or higher, any edition
- Microsoft Store version 22202.1402.0 or later
- Architecture: X64 or Arm64
- Processor: Intel Core i3 8th Gen or later, AMD Ryzen 3000 or later, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8c or later
- Memory: At least 8GB of RAM (16GB is recommended)
- Storage: A solid-state drive
- Virtualization: Enabled in hardware
To check if your device is compatible, you don't need to hunt for your system's specifications. An automatic compatibility tester is offered, much like with Windows 11. When you click the Get The Amazon Appstore link, the Microsoft Store app will launch and direct you to the Amazon Appstore website. From there, you will be able to confirm the compatibility of your system.
Final Thoughts
The Windows subsystem for Android was not intended for usage on PCs with a keyboard and mouse, but rather on tablets with touch capabilities. One instance of this design working well is the Kindle application on a Surface tablet with a detachable keyboard. In such a scenario, it's possible to use a single device for reading, entertainment, and running productivity programs.
However, in this early stage of Android on Windows, it is pretty much the lone success story. Amazon's Appstore has a pitiful variety, and it's difficult to believe that any A-list Android software developers will be persuaded to upload their products there in order to make them compatible with the low percentage of Windows machines.
If Windows were available on smaller tablets, this scenario would have had more legs. But with the failure of Windows 8, Microsoft has very well put an end to that form size.
The Windows subsystem for Android via windows 11 is thus primarily only a proof of concept right now. It's tough to find anything here that makes a stronger case than the fact that Microsoft was unable to persuade developers to create native apps for their Windows tablets.
