Project Astoria - For emulating Android apps

[tweedie]

With the lack of windows mobile apps and companies no longer maintaining or removing their apps for windows mobile, it makes more sense for project astoria (for emulating android apps) to be restarted.

Why was it removed in the first place? According to Microsoft's Project Astoria and Android app emulation not happening anytime soon | Windows Central it states that it "undercuts window developers and would have little reason to make native windows apps" - but they not making native window apps at all, so what is the problem?

Finally, would project astoria ever get open sourced?

 

[RumoredNow]

 

[tweedie]

was that bones holding a lumia 1020?

 

[RohanRonQM]

Project Astoria also caused issues with performance of devices. Back when it was being developed and builds were rolled out to even the high-end Windows phones such as Lumia 930, 1520, and Blu WinHD these phones would start running extremely slow and crash often. This was detailed and talked about a lot by Gabriel Aul.
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Also, there would be problems because it used Java code that Oracle now owned. Google is very close to moving away from Java on their own Android OS and most other companies don't use it - Oracle loves to sue others.
.

Originally posted by tweedie
With the lack of windows mobile apps and companies no longer maintaining or removing their apps for windows mobile, it makes more sense for project astoria (for emulating android apps) to be restarted.

Why was it removed in the first place? According to Microsoft's Project Astoria and Android app emulation not happening anytime soon | Windows Central it states that it "undercuts window developers and would have little reason to make native windows apps" - but they not making native window apps at all, so what is the problem?

Finally, would project astoria ever get open sourced?

 

[nate0]

Also, there would be problems because it used Java code that Oracle now owned. Google is very close to moving away from Java on their own Android OS and most other companies don't use it - Oracle loves to sue others.

Good point.

 

[Aravind Belagaje]

Since android is a open source will there be any legal issues for the emulator development?

 

[nate0]

Since android is a open source will there be any legal issues for the emulator development?

That is a good question. Maybe is another reason it was cancelled. But at first thought I think no. The emulator would run on a Windows Kernel and platform with I believe was a modified (Microsoft brewed Linux subsystem) Linux kernel/subsystem, so technically any modifications, if it was done to the Android source kernel (if it was used) would have to be disclosed by Microsoft. I never dug much into the Android emulation since died pretty soon after it came to be.

 

[Ticomfreak]

Excuse the plug, but I put together a proof of concept that takes an Android app, deconstructs it and interprets its instructions and resources. It's far too simple to run any real apps at the moment, but with enough interest, time, and development it could. Currently it can run some "hello world" apps. I plan on releasing the source code under Apache 2.0. Here's the thread if you'd like to stay updated on it, you can even demo it today!

http://forums.windowscentral.com/de...layer-program-universal-windows-platform.html

Hopefully this sort of post is okay. I don't usually participate in forums.

 

[nate0]

Interesting. Could look at that like middleware and basically translates between the two apis?

 

[tweedie]

Excuse the plug, but I put together a proof of concept that takes an Android app, deconstructs it and interprets its instructions and resources. It's far too simple to run any real apps at the moment, but with enough interest, time, and development it could. Currently it can run some "hello world" apps. I plan on releasing the source code under Apache 2.0. Here's the thread if you'd like to stay updated on it, you can even demo it today!

http://forums.windowscentral.com/de...layer-program-universal-windows-platform.html

Hopefully this sort of post is okay. I don't usually participate in forums.

Ohh, thats looks interesting project. What language did you write it in? c#? It looks like possibly is .net core?!

 

[Ticomfreak]

Ohh, thats looks interesting project. What language did you write it in? c#? It looks like possibly is .net core?!

The project is written in C# for .NET Core (since it is from the ground-up a UWP app.) It runs on Windows 10 phones and PCs. As the project's complexity grows, some C++ code will at some point be included. The standard Android libraries uses both Java and C++ code with JNI, so porting the libraries over would probably be easier if I used both C# and C++ code in the ported libraries. Plus it would be easier to maintain and update as Google makes changes to the standard Android libraries.

Interesting. Could look at that like middleware and basically translates between the two apis?

Pretty much

 

[Yangstax]

If the future Cellular PC phone would run W10 UWP apps, MS should not worry about W10M app development. Running Android apps in an Astoria sandbox would become an attractive feature in addition to UWP and W10 On ARM.

 

[nate0]

The project is written in C# for .NET Core (since it is from the ground-up a UWP app.) It runs on Windows 10 phones and PCs. As the project's complexity grows, some C++ code will at some point be included. The standard Android libraries uses both Java and C++ code with JNI, so porting the libraries over would probably be easier if I used both C# and C++ code in the ported libraries. Plus it would be easier to maintain and update as Google makes changes to the standard Android libraries.

Would the absence of Microsoft's Astoria libraries currently in the builds today that originated from the OS version prior keep from it running in mobile now?

 

[Ticomfreak]

Would the absence of Microsoft's Astoria libraries currently in the builds today that originated from the OS version prior keep from it running in mobile now?

The proof of concept presented does not rely on Microsoft's Astoria code. It is through-and-through a UWP app. I just haven't provided instructions for sideloading it on mobile but I believe you can sideload it through device portal. The dependencies and ARM appxbundle should be in the archive. In fact, I regularly test (my)Astoria on my HTC One M8 for Windows.

 

[PerfectReign]

That is a good question. Maybe is another reason it was cancelled. But at first thought I think no.

IIRC, there was also an issue with developer revenue. Do devs who rely on Google port Google apps to Windows in good faith? I recall some discussion. Still it was cool running native Android on my 1520. Kind of like me running Bash native on my Surface Pro.

Honestly l, with the new Win32 Emulation coming up, Astoria and Islandwood may no longer be necessary.


Sent from mTalk

 

[Aravind Belagaje]

Originally posted by PerfectReign

Originally Posted by Nate W
That is a good question. Maybe is another reason it was cancelled. But at first thought I think no.

IIRC, there was also an issue with developer revenue. Do devs who rely on Google port Google apps to Windows in good faith? I recall some discussion. Still it was cool running native Android on my 1520. Kind of like me running Bash native on my Surface Pro.

Honestly l, with the new Win32 Emulation coming up, Astoria and Islandwood may no longer be necessary.


Sent from mTalk

I don't think win32 can run on low end devices like 650 640 550 etc but android apps are designed for mobile. There UI and resources consumption are suitable for mobiles so it can run even in low end devices That's why it still makes sense.

 

[tweedie]

To be honest, I am not sure why win32 emulator would make any difference. I don't want a full windows desktop app running on my mobile phone. I just want mobile apps, and with 2.2 million+ android apps it makes sense to have an android emulator.

As for "developers revenue" - you would still have to buy the apps - heck, Microsoft store could start selling android apps (no different to what samsung and amazon is doing). And pretty much a lot of apps requires purchasing contents so its pretty hard to pirate that. its a win for the developers as far as I am concern as they would get more users.

 

[nate0]

Yep. Where there's a dev there's a way.

 

[AV2RY]

Projects Astoria was killed long time ago. There's Project Islandwood (that was supposed to be) a bridge between iOS and WP/WM. I just checked, last time it was mentioned was 9 months ago. This isn't abandoned yet, but if MS didn't do anything in 9 months I'd assume this dead too

I read this article about Project Astoria few days ago. You should read it
https://www.onmsft.com/news/isnt-windows-store-filled-bridged-ios-apps

 

[ML10]

I missed out big time. Is there any other way to sideload an app? I mean they even give you the developer setting option your phone!