Windows subsystem for Android early hands-on test

[Jan]

Windows subsystem for Android tested

Testing by MyBroadband revealed that while the Windows Subsystem for Android is buggy, it holds great potential for future users.

Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) is a feature that Microsoft has started implementing as an option on Windows 11 to allow the use of Android apps on the platform.

 

[backstreetboy]

No thanks even the Huawei app store is better than the Amazon one.

 

[Arthur]

No thanks even the Huawei app store is better than the Amazon one.

You can use others.
I use both APKPure and Aurora Store on my Volla Phone. Even installed the Rainbird irrigation controller for Android on my PC.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Why this was tested using the AMD platform I have no idea.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Why this was tested using the AMD platform I have no idea.

What difference do you think it makes?

 

[DA-LION-619]

What difference do you think it makes?

Intel essentially did the work to create a x86 version of Android, WSA uses some of that tech.

 

[ArmatageShanks]

Intel essentially did the work to create a x86 version of Android, WSA uses some of that tech.

Yes, doesn't mean they deserve exclusivity or that AMD is lacking in any way, presume it'll have been tested thoroughly by the boys in red.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Yes, doesn't mean they deserve exclusivity or that AMD is lacking in any way, presume it'll have been tested thoroughly by the boys in red.

I will repeat.

Why this was tested using the AMD platform I have no idea.

What difference do you think it makes?

Windows Subsystem for Android™️

Windows Subsystem for Android™️ enables your Windows 11 device to run Android applications that are available in the Amazon Appstore. Learn more about set up, device requirements, installing and uninstalling, input compatibility, testing and debugging, and using the Amazon Appstore.

docs.microsoft.com

Windows Subsystem for Android utilizes Intel Bridge Technology to emulate ARM applications on x86 based processors.

 

[Nod]

I will repeat.

Windows Subsystem for Android™️

Windows Subsystem for Android™️ enables your Windows 11 device to run Android applications that are available in the Amazon Appstore. Learn more about set up, device requirements, installing and uninstalling, input compatibility, testing and debugging, and using the Amazon Appstore.

docs.microsoft.com

From: https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/24/22549303/windows-11-intel-bridge-android-apps-amd-arm-processors

“Intel believes it is important to provide this capability across all x86 platforms and has designed Intel Bridge technology to support all x86 platforms (including AMD platforms),” Intel confirmed in a statement to The Verge. Microsoft further corroborated that Android applications will be available for all silicon providers, including Arm, although the company isn’t talking about how well those apps will actually run yet.

According to Intel, Bridge itself is a run-time post compiler that translates applications that are compiled for non-x86 platforms (in this case, Android applications) into x86 instructions (which can run on Windows 11 with Intel or AMD CPUs). It’s a bit like a reverse version of Apple’s Rosetta software for its M1 Macs — but instead of converting x86 applications to run on Arm, it’s letting Arm-based apps run on x86 chips.

Arm-based Windows 11 devices, which won’t need that extra translation layer, will presumably be able to run Android apps without Intel Bridge, although Microsoft hasn’t fully explained how that will work just yet.

 

[DA-LION-619]

From: https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/24/22549303/windows-11-intel-bridge-android-apps-amd-arm-processors

That PR release is about useless as the benchmarks. You can run an emulator on Windows 10 using Hyper-V, how much of a role does the bridge play other than being a post compiler?

x86-64 was AMDs baby, not Intels. Doesn't mean Intel can't play.

Don’t know why you guys are salty over a valid question because the technology does have Intel’s name on it.
It’s not like WSL, MS is providing the binaries.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Salty? You feeling hurt?

x86-64 was AMDs baby, not Intels. Doesn't mean Intel can't play.

Go on then explain what x86-64 has to do with this when it’s well established they cross license.

I'm really not sure why it would be important to test on Intel hardware. Mybb used what they had available at the time?

If the performance is on par with BlueStacks which isn’t using any post compiler, is there a point to WSA?
They could have even done both platforms, atm it’s leaves more questions than us.

Most of these emulators required enabling virtualisation in the BIOS

 

[system32]

Wrong Name.

Name should be Android Subsystem for Windows

 

[PsyWulf]

If the performance is on par with BlueStacks which isn’t using any post compiler, is there a point to WSA?

Dunno if there's a huge list of benefits,but "native" APK support and integration in windows? Double click to install/run

 

[DA-LION-619]

Dunno if there's a huge list of benefits,but "native" APK support and integration in windows? Double click to install/run

Well the subsystem is meant to deal with all the API calls etc.
Without knowing if they were using BlueStacks 5 with Hyper-V support, I don’t see how it could be on-par unless MS did a really terrible job.

The lack of GMS would matter to consumers I guess, but for dev having ADB available would make debugging easier.