Windows 11 beta users can start testing Android apps
You finally have a chance to try Android apps in Windows 11 — provided you’re willing to live on the bleeding edge for a while. Microsoft has released an Insider Preview beta that enables the Amazon Appstore and support for running Android apps within Windows. Only 50 curated apps are available as part of the initial test (such as the Kindle app, Lords Mobile and Lego Duplo World), but Microsoft is promising more in the “coming months.”
The aim, as before, is to make Android apps feel like they belong in Windows 11. You can multitask, check notifications and use Windows accessibility features. Mouse and keyboard input is available, although many apps will unsurprisingly benefit from a touchscreen.
The beta is only available in the US for compatible devices using AMD, Intel and Qualcomm chips. This won’t do much to satisfy those frustrated that Android apps weren’t available on launch. You’ll still have to wait a while before an official release, let alone an Amazon catalog large enough to make a meaningful difference. It’s a start, though, and it suggests the delay won’t be as long as you might have feared.
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