While it might seem like an important addition—and some will find it useful—experts say that Android apps on PCs have a long way to go before making much of a difference for general consumers. “The new Windows 11 feature makes sense for social media services, streaming platforms, and other similar apps,” Dmytro Reutov, a senior Android developer with ClearVPN, told Lifewire in an email. “It’s all about content consumption as the main activity.”
Finding Priorities
Sure, there are a few kid-based learning apps, but overall the primary goal of this feature right now seems to be letting people consume content from their Android apps on the PC. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with content consumption, some believe that Microsoft could do more with its new feature—like offering new education options for children and students. “I think there is much potential in the seamless integration of Android and Microsoft technology in providing a more interactive learning experience for children.” Hays Bailey, the CEO of Sheqsy, developer of a workforce safety app, wrote in an email. “You can only imagine how much teachers and learners can do by using these apps side-by-side with Microsoft’s productivity tools.” Unfortunately, the issue with tools and productivity apps is many of them often rely on the specific operating system they’re running on, Reutov noted. The virtualization system that Windows 11 uses does run apps smoothly, but it remains to be seen if it can offer a seamless experience with more utility-based apps that you might use on your smartphone a lot.
Shifting Focus
While it’s disappointing that we don’t see any support for this feature from Google, it’s possible we could see better app options in the future. But, unfortunately, some barriers need to be overcome. “The Android ecosystem has always been fragmented, which has both positives and negatives,” Suyash Joshi, an experienced developer, and Android expert told Lifewire in an email.
