Microsoft could bring Android apps to Windows 10 (Update: More info)

Update, November 27, 2020 (01:00 PM ET): Earlier this week, we told you about how Android apps on Windows 10 could be a thing next year. Now, once again via Windows Central, we have more rumors related to this news.

Allegedly, Microsoft internally refers to this new system as “Project Latte.” It apparently would allow devs to port their Android apps to the Microsoft Store directly with little-to-no code updates. In theory, this would allow users to simply search for their favorite Android apps within the MS Store and then install them like any other Windows app.

Of course, the big question still revolves around Google Play Services. Without that, some apps wouldn’t function properly. We’ll need to wait and see how Microsoft plans to address this or if it is only going to focus on apps that don’t require Play Services to function in full.

Original article, November 25, 2020 (05:44 AM ET): It’s already possible to run Android apps on Windows 10 computers thanks to emulators like Bluestacks, but it sounds like Microsoft might cut out the middle man and bring Android app support directly to the platform.

Reports from Windows Central indicate that the firm is considering bringing Android apps to Windows in 2021, via the Microsoft Store.

There’s no word on exactly how Microsoft would implement this, and whether it would come to Windows on Arm. The latter certainly makes sense given that the vast majority of Android apps are made with Arm devices in mind.

Many apps such as Gmail, Uber, and others require Google Play Services support though, but it isn’t clear if Microsoft plans to offer this suite. For what it’s worth, other platforms offering native Android app compatibility (e.g. BlackBerry 10, early Windows 10 Mobile previews) haven’t delivered native Google Play Services integration either.

Nevertheless, native Android app support would be a welcome addition to the Windows 10 stable, especially in light of MacOS getting support for iPad and iPhone apps. Hopefully, this encourages more Android developers to build their apps with support for larger screens in mind too, as this has been a minor complaint on foldables.

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