It looks as if Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels in the case of the system that lets Home windows 11 run Android apps: on Friday, the corporate introduced an replace that upgrades the model of Android working in your pc and helps make the apps really feel extra at house working on a PC. The Home windows Subsystem for Android replace is at the moment solely accessible to check for Home windows Insiders, however that’s most likely a superb factor for causes we’ll contact on in only a second.
The headlining enchancment is an replace to the model of Android that underpins Home windows’ skill to run cell apps. The present public launch appears to be utilizing Android 11 (based mostly on some prodding I did utilizing developer instruments), however the model that Microsoft is testing is working Android 12.1, aka Android 12L. What that successfully means is that, for those who’ve received something aside from a latest Pixel, your pc could also be working a more moderen model of Android than your cellphone.
The replace additionally brings enhancements to how Android apps combine with Home windows. Pop-up messages from apps could present up as Home windows notifications now, and the taskbar will be capable of present if an Android app is accessing your microphone or location. The corporate additionally says that Android apps ought to behave higher after you wake your pc up from standby. As an alternative of restarting, they need to simply resume from the place they left off.
Microsoft additionally says it’s utterly redesigned the settings app that you simply use to handle the Home windows Subsystem for Android, grouping settings collectively and offering an “all-around cleaner consumer expertise.” It’s additionally made numerous enhancements to how Android apps can entry your pc’s digital camera and has even improved the networking capabilities so you possibly can arrange sensible house units utilizing an Android app working in your pc.
Whereas these all sound like huge enhancements, chances are you’ll wish to maintain off on making an attempt to make use of the function your self for the time being. For one, it’s at the moment being rolled out to the Dev channel, which is probably the most bleeding-edge of the Home windows Insider rings. (Which means you’re extra prone to run into bugs and crashes outdoors of working Android apps.) To that time, Microsoft warns that the improve to Android 12.1 “could trigger some apps to fail to launch.” Maybe that’s not tremendous shocking given how tough the Android 12 rollout has been on telephones. The corporate says it’s working with companions “to deal with these points as quickly as potential,” so hopefully it’ll get straightened out earlier than it reaches shoppers.
Even when the replace isn’t fairly absolutely baked but, it’s good to see that Microsoft is definitely giving some like to the Android apps on Home windows function. It might’ve simply launched it as one thing cool coming with Home windows 11, launched it, and thought of the undertaking roughly completed. The truth that we’re seeing main modifications to it, although, makes it look like Microsoft is dedicated to the function in the interim. If it actually desires to have a first-class expertise, although, it might want to work out a a lot simpler approach to obtain apps from the Google Play Retailer, relatively than the way more restricted Amazon Appstore’s choice.
