Whether we are talking about equipment, services or software, Microsoft shows a desire to be present on all fronts. This policy is also visible with the development of Windows Subsystem for Linux and Windows Subsystem for Android which aim above all to attract developers.
Since October 2021, Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) allows a computer running Windows 11 to run Android applications downloaded from the Amazon Appstore. This subsystem does not depend on a particular processor architecture. It can therefore run on a PC under ARM or any other technology. Microsoft has unveiled on Github the roadmap which will make WSA look even more like a device running Android.
Five new specifications should soon be added to the long list of Android features already available on Windows 11. First of all, we note that WSA will be upgrading to Android 13. The latest iteration of Google’s mobile OS is considered to be a real leap forward. It proposes for the first time to use multiple user accounts on the same device, to transfer files to nearby connected objects or even interface improvements. However, not all of these features will be immediately implemented in WSA.
WSA will allow Android 13-specific features to be used in Windows 11
The next update of Windows Subsystem for Android will integrate file transfer, which will make it possible to transfer files from an Android device to WSA, and from the subsystem to Windows. A maneuver that should be of interest to developers in the first place, as ordinary users probably have no interest in complicating their lives in such a way. Another notable addition in anticipation: the Picture-in-picture mode, which, as its name suggests, will allow you to embed an Android app in another app in the Windows window. Microsoft also indicates that it wants to integrate shortcuts, or access to the local network by default.
Microsoft is currently firing on all cylinders. The company wants to be present on all fronts. It makes phones, the Surface Duo and Duo 2, which run Android, but thanks to the Android 12L update still look more like Windows Phone. It has just been released It also wishes to make itself indispensable to all users by offering its software and services on all types of devices. This can be seen with the reorientation of the Office suite, now Microsoft 365, towards the Cloud, through its association with Meta to invest in the Metaverse, or with the availability of XBox Cloud Gaming on PCs running an ARM processor.
