Microsoft is discontinuing the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), marking the end of the short run of Android apps on Windows 11.
In an update posted on Microsoft’s ‘Learn’ page, the company said the end of support for WSA means that “the Amazon Appstore on Windows and all apps and games dependent on WSA will no longer be supported starting March 5, 2025.”
Windows users who installed Amazon Appstore or Android apps before March 5, 2024 will still have access to those apps until March 5, 2025.
Meanwhile, Amazon says that the Appstore and related apps won’t be visible in the Microsoft Store starting March 6, 2024, and that developers can’t submit new apps for the Appstore on Windows. However, developers with existing apps can continue to update them until support ends in 2025.
Microsoft said Engadget was shutting down WSA and the Amazon Appstore on Windows as “part of our commitment to meet the evolving needs of customers.” The company also emphasized that it remains “committed to an open platform and ecosystem.”
The company likely added support for Android apps in an effort to compete with Chromebooks (which can run Android apps) and MacBooks (which can run iPhone apps). But with competitors still offering those features, it’s unclear why Microsoft is dropping it roughly two years after adding support for Android apps. Engadget suggests that Microsoft’s shift in focus to AI means the company no longer wants to invest resources in touch-centric Android apps and Windows. The Verge he thinks this could be because people wanted to use the Google Play Store to download their apps, rather than Amazon’s inferior Appstore.
Either way, Android apps on Windows will soon be a thing of the past and honestly, I’m not sure how many people will miss this feature.
Source: Microsoft via: Engadget