Cool, Windows 11 Can Run Android Apps

One of the new features of Windows 11 is the ability to run Android applications natively, aka without additional emulators. Attract!

This Android application can be downloaded through the Amazon Appstore which can be downloaded through the new Windows Store integrated in Windows 11. Then this Amazon Appstore can also be pinned to the taskbar like other Windows applications.

To support the use of this Android application, Microsoft collaborated with Intel to use Intel Bridge technology, although this Android application will also run on systems with AMD processors or ARM-based processors.

This new feature is definitely Microsoft's answer to the macOS feature on the Mac M1 that can run iOS apps. In its product demo, Microsoft showed Windows 11's ability to run the TikTok application.

They also showcased a number of other apps that appeared in the Windows Store, such as Ring, Yahoo, Uber, and others. Unfortunately, it is not known how many devices on the market support this feature, as Microsoft is still working on the Intel Bridge technology required to run Android apps on Windows 11.

"Intel considers it important to provide this capability to all x86 platforms and Intel Bridge technology is designed to support all x86 platforms (including AMD platforms)," an Intel spokesperson said.

Microsoft also later supported Intel's statement by saying that all Windows 11 platforms will support the use of Android applications, regardless of processor, including ARM.

According to Intel, Bridge technology is a post-run-time compiler that can translate applications created for platforms other than x86, in this case Android, into x86 instructions recognized by Intel or AMD processors.

For ARM-based devices, the translation step is definitely not needed, so there is no need for Intel Bridge technology. But Microsoft has not explained this feature yet.

For information, currently Android applications can actually be run on Windows, that is through various emulator programs available. Like Bluestacks, Nox, and the like. However, applications run in virtual machines on top of Windows, not directly on Windows.