Microsoft is "sunsetting" (aka, killing) Windows Subsystem for Android.

[Issac Zachary]

I tried finding another thread on this subject but couldn't find one. I hope this is the right subform. If not, I know the moderators will know what to do. (Edit: Now that I think about it, this probably should have gone into the news section).

 

Anyhow, I was shocked when I got that email from Amazon today. I finally got around to upgrading to Windows 11, and started really liking the handful of useful Android apps that I use on my two Windows machines. One of my favorites is Kindle as well as Audible, and I just finished reading my first Kindle book ever, all on my Surface Go 2 (my go-to tablet). But now... Good bye Android apps on Windows! What just happened!?

 

The run down is that:

• Starting today, Windows Subsystem for Android can no longer be downloaded and installed, period (at least not through the Microsoft Store).
• No more new Android apps for the Amazon Store on Windows will be allowed. Only updates to existing apps.
• On March 5, 2025 WSA will be shut down and the Amazon App Store for Windows will too.
•  

Sure, there is Bluestacks. But I've tried Bluestacks and would prefer WSA personaly. I also remember purchasing an Android Emulator years ago that was later abandoned. I can't remember the name of it, but it was better than Bluestacks IMO.

 

What do you think of the sunsetting of WSA?

[DrMacintosh]

Supporting the ability for x86 computers to run Android apps requires there to be a demand for that, and there simply is no demand. This type of thing also requires active support rather than just being a byproduct of your PC running the same architecture as your phone (like Apple Silicon and the iPhone).

[mononymous]

What's a good alternative though? Being able to launch Android apps directly as long as WSA is running in the background is useful. Instead of having a launcher like Bluestacks or Gameloop.

[Issac Zachary]

7 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Supporting the ability for x86 computers to run Android apps requires there to be a demand for that, and there simply is no demand. This type of thing also requires active support rather than just being a byproduct of your PC running the same architecture as your phone (like Apple Silicon and the iPhone).

Yes, and I wouldn't suggest to these big corporations to base their decisions on wants and needs of the handful of use that do find things like Android apps on Windows useful.

 

But personally, I do find it frustrating. It's just one of many, many things that I started liking, using and benefiting from and a corporation like Microsoft, Google, Samsung or Apple decided that it wasn't profitable so decided to kill it. 16 bit programs, Windows Phone, Windows Live, Zune, EAS support, task bar labels (which they finally brought back), sidebar widgets, and so on and so forth. And that's just from Microsoft! It makes me not even want to try any new products. Why should I? What's the point any more.

 

Sometimes I want to go back to the days like when I had my first computer, that awesome Tandy Color Computer 2 in all it's 8-bit glory, and have the freedom to just write my own programs  that I can save to casette and forget about using anyone else's stupid products that sooner or later are "obsolete" and "not profitable" so "buy the newest thing that does something totally different just because."

 

6 hours ago, mononymous said:

What's a good alternative though? Being able to launch Android apps directly as long as WSA is running in the background is useful. Instead of having a launcher like Bluestacks or Gameloop.

Exactly!

[Issac Zachary]

Man! With the lack of interest in this thread, I guess I am one of very few that was ever interested in running Android apps on my Windows tablet.

[GoodBytes]

The biggest issue is the lack of Google Play Store support (not Microsoft fault). The problem is that even if you sideload apps, due to the deep integration of Google Play Store that apps have with it, most apps just crash when you do certain things, or just don't even start (crash at launch). The only thing one can do is side load a modified Pixel firmware where Google Play Store has been injected inside, and that means that Amazon isn't getting money from app sales (the little that already get), and that means that Amazon isn't interested anymore in supporting WSA. 

 

So many Android apps are deeply tied to Google Play Store, and that is the big problem. Only the ones on Amazon App Stores (the very few they are), are coded in a way to support both APIs.

Remember that Google Play Store is more than just the Store. They are Google Maps, Tools for Google Apps for telemetry, in-app purchases, Ads, and more. If any app uses any of these things (most does) and has no alternative behavior beside expecting that the device supports Google Play (which is most cases), then the app will just not run.

[Issac Zachary]

On 3/6/2024 at 1:39 PM, GoodBytes said:

The biggest issue is the lack of Google Play Store support (not Microsoft fault). The problem is that even if you sideload apps, due to the deep integration of Google Play Store that apps have with it, most apps just crash when you do certain things, or just don't even start (crash at launch). The only thing one can do is side load a modified Pixel firmware where Google Play Store has been injected inside, and that means that Amazon isn't getting money from app sales (the little that already get), and that means that Amazon isn't interested anymore in supporting WSA. 

 

So many Android apps are deeply tied to Google Play Store, and that is the big problem. Only the ones on Amazon App Stores (the very few they are), are coded in a way to support both APIs.

Remember that Google Play Store is more than just the Store. They are Google Maps, Tools for Google Apps for telemetry, in-app purchases, Ads, and more. If any app uses any of these things (most does) and has no alternative behavior beside expecting that the device supports Google Play (which is most cases), then the app will just not run.

It kind of reminds me of Window's phone getting few, if any Google apps.

 

The incompatability of platforms means you either have to choose one platform over another, emulate one if you can, or carry around several devices.

 

There was one time my wife would carry around a Windows Phone, an Android phone and an iPhone and an iPad and a Windows laptop all in her purse. And believe me, she used them all and had sound reasons for carrying around so much tech.

 

Me, I prefer having everything on one, maybe two devices, and I'd prefer it all on a tablet with a keyboard, or a two-in-one device. Jumping from phone, to tablet, to laptop drives me nuts.