Microsoft rumored to announce Android apps support for Windows 10 at Build 2015

[Nogitsune Micah]

BB10 already tried this and failed miserably. They had an Android runtime from the beginning, that allowed devs to port their Android apps (apk)to the native BB10 format (.bar files). Some ported popular apps include Skype and Viber. The side-effect was that some apps that were fully native started to be replaced with ported android apps. Right now, BB10 can run pure apk's as well, but are laggy and sometimes buggy. Of course apps that require Google Play services need to be patched in order to work properly.

If you visit our neighbours at Crackberry, there is a "workaround" mentality towards apps. If a user needs an app that is not available in their app stores (yes they have 2 app-stores) the responses will be: "you must use version A of app X, patch it with tool Y, sideload it, ignore Z number of warnings and sometimes slow performance and you can use the app". This is not something general consumers should have to go through. Android apps in BB10 may have filled the needs of loyal customers, but has done very very little to increase sales.

So far nobody had success in the western world with an Android phone without Google Play services. I also think that a side-effect of WP10 running Android apks (if the rumor proves true) is that Google might force apps in its own store to use Google play services and that prevent apps from properly running on non-Google Android phones.

Shh. You're making sense
Sseriously though thank you for this reply.


That does make me wonder if google does do something like that wouldn't that have adverse effects on blackberry and windows?

 

[Soulstream]

SAhh. You're making sense
Sseriously though thank you for this reply.


That does make me wonder if google does do something like that wouldn't that have adverse effects on blackberry and windows?

It already has adverse effect on BB10 as some apps in Google play use google play services for certain tasks. So far Google hasn't done anything to prevent such practices due to the very small market share of BB10 devices. But BB10 + WP10 might just be big enough to make Google take action.

 

[a5cent]

It already has adverse effect on BB10 as some apps in Google play use google play services for certain tasks. So far Google hasn't done anything to prevent such practices due to the very small market share of BB10 devices. But BB10 + WP10 might just be big enough to make Google take action.

I don't see this as a big issue at all.

If the usage is local, an emulator need only replace calls to Google's apps with calls to MS' equivalents.

If the usage is remote (accesses Google's servers), an emulator need only rewrite the URL so as to reroute such requests to one of MS' own servers. Consider this runtime patching, based not on deactivating /suppressing the interaction, but on replacing Google's involvement in the interaction.

That's very hard to do if you're BB who doesn't run equivalent services, but not that big of a deal for MS.

 

[Nogitsune Micah]

I don't see this as a big issue at all.

If the usage is local, an emulator need only replace calls to Google's apps with calls to MS' equivalents.

If the usage is remote (accesses Google's servers), an emulator need only rewrite the URL so as to reroute such requests to one of MS' own servers. Consider this runtime patching, based not on deactivating /suppressing the interaction, but on replacing Google's involvement in the interaction.

That's very hard to do if you're BB who doesn't run equivalent services, but not that big of a deal for MS.

Unless google does something completely left field to change access. Wouldn't be surprising really.
It makes me wonder about the developers of these apps . Would they be okay with this and if not, would they have any grounds for complaint.

 

[matt john2]

Lol this cracks me up, is Microsoft really that desperate they start eating their own pride? Hope this isn't true

 

[wpfan86]

So here are my concerns:
1. Doesn't allowing Android apps to run on Windows phones completely remove any incentive for a developer to make/update a native windows app? Or are we talking about Microsoft allowing developers to make only minor changes to make their current Android app a universal Windows app?
2. Wouldn't a ported Android app or app running in an emulator be missing some of the most important Windows phone features? (functioning live tile, lock screen integration, Cortana integration)

 

[a5cent]

Unless google does something completely left field to change access. Wouldn't be surprising really.
It makes me wonder about the developers of these apps . Would they be okay with this and if not, would they have any grounds for complaint.

You don't understand.

With those two changes I mentioned, Android apps would no longer access any of Google's services. Those apps will think they are, because they'd function no differently than they otherwise would, but what they'd actually access is an MS service that is posing as a Google service. If those apps aren't actually accessing anything from Google, then Google can block access to whatever they want. It matters not.

1. Doesn't allowing Android apps to run on Windows phones completely remove any incentive for a developer to make/update a native windows app? Or are we talking about Microsoft allowing developers to make only minor changes to make their current Android app a universal Windows app?

Nobody knows. It depends on the details, or the fine print if you will. It's why this entire discussion is premature.

2. Wouldn't a ported Android app or app running in an emulator be missing some of the most important Windows phone features? (functioning live tile, lock screen integration, Cortana integration)

Yes.

 

[fatclue_98]

That's very hard to do if you're BB who doesn't run equivalent services, but not that big of a deal for MS.

It's not a big deal it seems for BB either. I use this patch to remove dependencies from whatever apk is requesting Google services. With the Google dependencies removed, the app uses the BB services for location, etc. It's a very easy process. Cobalt is the Cotulla of BlackBerry.

How to patch Android Apps depending on Google Maps and Google Play Services - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com

 

[a5cent]

^ Yes and no. What you're pointing out is that this works just fine for any Google service that BB has their own equivalent of. The location service is one good example. However, BB doesn't have equivalents for every one of Google's services, nor are these services built in a day. That's where BB runs into trouble. That's where MS is less likely to run into serious trouble.

 

[saras112]

Stop. They're not announcing Android apps for Windows 10, or apk support. They are just making it a lot easier for developers to transfer they're apps to Windows.

 

[fatclue_98]

BB10 already tried this and failed miserably. They had an Android runtime from the beginning, that allowed devs to port their Android apps (apk)to the native BB10 format (.bar files).

Your post is based on very outdated information. This is no longer the case.

 

[fatclue_98]

^ Yes and no. What you're pointing out is that this works just fine for any Google service that BB has their own equivalent of. The location service is one good example. However, BB doesn't have equivalents for every one of Google's services, nor are these services built in a day. That's where BB runs into trouble. That's where MS is less likely to run into serious trouble.

You may be correct since I only use a handful of Android apps. However, the ones I do use work perfectly and the few I've had to patch (PayPal, Walgreens & Tapatalk) work flawlessly as well. Let me also point out that I use some Android apps only because they have more functionality than the native BB apps.

As I've tried to explain before, this can only help the platform because it gives the user a choice. In BlackBerry's case, it wasn't a decision to replace the native app store, it was to augment the selection.

 

[ShaneRay]

While we wait for clarification to come from Build (hopefully) today. I'm just gonna clarify my "...bad news for the platform...." comment.

As others seem to focusing on, it's not Android apps being available--in whatever form-- on Windows Phone that's the problem. No. It's, instead, the reason for even considering that move that is the problem.

Someone said earlier that, if true, it's "a shot across the bow". A war cry.

Nope.

If true, it's a final grasp at a floating branch before going under.

That's where I'm coming from.

But, again, this is all just speculation. True or not, only time is going to tell the fate of the mobile platform we've all chosen. Interesting times ahead, folks.

 

[a5cent]

As I've tried to explain before, this can only help the platform because it gives the user a choice. In BlackBerry's case, it wasn't a decision to replace the native app store, it was to augment the selection.

I disagree that it can only help the platform.

It might help. It also has the potential to destroy WP as a viable independent OS. Like I said in my first post, this is very risky business. We can't know which way this is intended to go at this point, simply because we have almost no information. I've always been sceptical of these rumours, primarily because I don't think MS would risk this approach if it was anything but a last ditch effort. I'm not saying it's BS, because maybe MS thinks now is the time for that last ditch effort, but I'll believe it only when I see it. Until then, there are just too many open questions to take any side in this discussion. At least that's my opinion.

 

[fatclue_98]

I'm not saying it's BS, because maybe MS thinks now is the time for that last ditch effort, but I'll believe it only when I see it.

If Microsoft has decided this is a last ditch effort, then you would be correct. Perhaps the "unification" isn't going as well as expected and the phone OS will have to remain as a separate entity. If this is the case, yes, it has to be a last gasp because the "way we were" is clearly not working.

I'm still optimistic based on the 2 weeks I had the TP on my 1520. But for all the bells and whistles we may get, if the keyboard remains as it is on the TP, it will all be for naught because my 1520 will remain on Denim. No sense in having a 6" display to have a larger keyboard for my fat fingers if they're going to reduce it to the size of a 635 keyboard. Wait, maybe I can get an Android Swift keyboard. Sorry, I couldn't resist. It's raining cats and dogs in Miami and I'm stuck in the office.

 

[Pierre Blackwell]

In retrospect MSFT is putting themselves in a position where they could ask the proverbial question "what's keeping you from choosing a Windows phone"

 

[Torcher Death]

If Android apps do come to WP, it could go 2 ways -

Pessimistic: Devs give up on native apps for WP & just work on the Android ones leading to crappy apps with major inconsistencies.
Optimistic: The android apps help increase market share of WP, after which devs want to compete & hence make native apps for WP.

Only time will tell how this turns out... for now listening in on Build !!

 

[EssThree]

Techcrunch article from a year ago, still relevant: Kill The Hamburger Button | TechCrunch (has more articles linked from it).
More:

• UX designers: Side drawer navigation could be costing you half your user engagement
• Apple on Hamburger Menus

 

[Dr_8820]

Good, because my Android phone runs like crap while my WP doesn't crash like that.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520 using Tapatalk

 

[rhapdog]

Yeah, they've already talked about this at build. They are NOT going to allow Android apps to run on Windows. They ARE going to allow devs to reuse their Java and C++ to compile native Windows 10 apps, and allow them to access the full Windows 10 API from Java/C++.

This is the way it should be done.

They are also making it easy to recompile iOS Objective C for Windows 10 as well.

This is pretty awesome.