What you need to know:
- The Windows Subsystem for Android is coming to more markets later this year.
- Those markets include the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan.
- The news comes on the heels of a big update to the subsystem.
Microsoft has announced at Build 2022 that support for running Android apps via the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 will be expanding to five more markets by the end of this year. The Amazon Appstore, and all Android apps subsequently, are powered by Microsoft's new Windows Subsystem for Android, a feature that debuted in preview with Windows 11 last year.
The Windows Subsystem for Android aims to make running Android apps on Windows 11 as seamless as possible. It works by running a lightweight version of the Android OS in the background, and placing Android apps directly on your desktop and into your Start menu as if they were installed natively.
The list of new markets joining the United States includes:
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Japan
It's disappointing that it's taking Microsoft this long to roll out support for Android apps on Windows 11 in more markets. Currently, the ability to use the Windows Subsystem for Android is exclusive to users in the United States, likely because the Amazon Appstore itself is US only during this preview phase.
The Windows Subsystem for Android just recently got a huge update that improved the integration and interoperability of Android apps when running on Windows 11. It's available in preview for Insiders in the Dev Channel, and here's the full changelog:
- Windows Subsystem for Android updated to Android 12.1
- Advanced networking on by default for newer x64 Windows builds
- Updated Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app: redesigned UX and diagnostics data viewer added
- Simpleperf CPU profiler recording now works with Windows Subsystem for Android
- Windows taskbar now shows which Android apps are using microphone and location
- Improvements to Android app notifications appearing as Windows notifications
- Reduced flicker when apps are restored from minimized state
- Apps are not restarted when devices come out of connected standby on recent Windows builds
- New video hardware decoding (VP8 and VP9)
- Fixes for on-screen keyboard in apps
- Fixes for full screen Android apps and auto-hidden Windows taskbar
- Windows Subsystem for Android updated with Chromium WebView 100
- Added support for Android NetworkLocationProvider in addition to GpsLocationProvider
- Improved general stability, performance, and reliability
Be sure to check out all the news coming out of this year's developer conference on our Build 2022 page!
