After several months of silence, Microsoft is finally ready to bring Android apps to Windows 11.
Microsoft’s announcement that Android apps will be available on Windows 11 was a cause for excitement during its reveal. However, the company didn’t include the feature when it released Windows 11 to the public.
Fortunately, the company has not forgotten its promise, and has now declared that people will be able to preview this new feature in February 2022.
Windows 11’s Android Apps are Coming Soon
The tech giant sounded the horns on the Windows Experience Blog. In a post titled “A new era of the PC,” the company takes a look back at recent shifts in the technology world, and how they reflected on Microsoft as a whole.
However, in the final section of the article, Microsoft drops some hints about exciting things that are on the way to Windows 11. One of which is the public preview of Android apps running on Windows 11, which was a huge selling point of the operating system when it was first announced.
Since then, users have found their own ways to run Android apps on Windows 11. For instance, it’s entirely possible to sideload and run Android apps on Windows 11. You can also skip past the operating system’s dependence on the Amazon Appstore and install the Google Play Store on Windows 11.
However, after months of waiting, Microsoft has confirmed that in February 2022, the public will finally get to try running Android apps on Windows 11 through the Microsoft Store. And that’s not all, as the post goes on to mention:
“…taskbar improvements with call mute and unmute, easier window sharing and bringing weather to the taskbar, plus the introduction of two new redesigned apps, Notepad and Media Player.”
Microsoft Is Making Good on Its Android Promise
Microsoft’s blog post is excellent news for people who were looking forward to running Android apps natively on Windows 11. As the line between smartphone and PC begins to blur, it has become more essential than ever to have a fully-functioning Android emulator built into Windows 11.
The initial announcement gave rise to hopes that users wouldn’t have to rely on third-party emulators such as BlueStacks. And while these emulators are very good at what they do, the promise of a native emulator built into the operating system made it look easy to install games, messaging apps, social media apps, and productivity apps on your PC.
And the best bit is that the Android emulator is only the tip of the iceberg for this update. With a better taskbar, easier window-sharing, and a new lick of paint for two aging Windows apps, there’s a good chance this update will please a lot of Windows 11 users.
Windows 11 Has Never Looked Better
Since Windows 11’s initial announcement, Microsoft has stated that Android apps will eventually arrive. And now, it looks like it’s finally happening. Whether it will actually live up to our expectations is yet to be seen, but on the surface, this update looks to be a major game-changer for Windows 11.
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