Who actually wants or needs Windows Subsystem for Android?

When I bought a new Windows 11 tablet, I was hoping it wouldn't be too long before I would be running my favourite Android apps but so far, my region is still waiting for WSA and most of what I've read about it so far sounds pretty underwhelming.  I've used Android phones and tablets in the past but like being able to run both OSs on a single device.

I'd previously used an emulator on a Windows 10  tablet but the one I was using (AMIDuOS) would not run on the new Windows 11 hardware. After months of trying out alternatives, I eventually found one that looks and works almost as good and most importantly includes Google Play services.

I'm not sure why anyone would actually need or want WSA particularly when it only runs apps from the Amazon app store (at least for now) when there are so many good emulators out there.

I'm just interested in hearing folks views about this.

Trevor

CAcreeks wrote:

sacentre (Trevor) wrote:

When I bought a new Windows 11 tablet, I was hoping it wouldn't be too long before I would be running my favourite Android apps but so far, my region is still waiting for WSA and most of what I've read about it so far sounds pretty underwhelming. I've used Android phones and tablets in the past but like being able to run both OSs on a single device.

I'd previously used an emulator on a Windows 10 tablet but the one I was using (AMIDuOS) would not run on the new Windows 11 hardware. After months of trying out alternatives, I eventually found one that looks and works almost as good and most importantly includes Google Play services.

I'm not sure why anyone would actually need or want WSA particularly when it only runs apps from the Amazon app store (at least for now) when there are so many good emulators out there.

Good question. You sent me looking for "what is it good for articles" and I found one, although the conclusion is that it's good primarily for the Kindle app. I have a Paperwhite, which is much easier on the eyes than color screens, so I'm out.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/android-on-windows-11-is-it-worth-the-effort/

I'm just interested in hearing folks views about this.

My view was that it's useless, but as Ed Bott points out, a proof of concept.

Most of the things I use my phone for -- GPS assisted map navigation, mobile data sans WiFi, flashlight, making phone calls, SMS texting, Google Pay via NFC, FM radio -- are not available on a W10 tablet. Sure, Surface is available with LTE but do I want to pay for a second device?

I read that one too. I was basically looking for a clear advantage of WSA over an emulator and haven't seen one yet. I don't know the tech stuff but my guess is that WSA is basically just another emulator anyway. It's early days yet so maybe later MS will allow access to Google Play store. Till then I'll stick to the emulator that allows me to run a favourite app I am anxious to keep (LDPlayer/Lollipop). It has a few wrinkles in that some of the functions don't work but I can live with that. When WSA finally arrives, it'll be intersting to sideload the SDK for this app and see if/how it works.

CAcreeks wrote:

sacentre (Trevor) wrote:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/android-on-windows-11-is-it-worth-the-effort/

I read that one too. I was basically looking for a clear advantage of WSA over an emulator and haven't seen one yet. I don't know the tech stuff but my guess is that WSA is basically just another emulator anyway. It's early days yet so maybe later MS will allow access to Google Play store. Till then I'll stick to the emulator that allows me to run a favourite app I am anxious to keep (LDPlayer/Lollipop). It has a few wrinkles in that some of the functions don't work but I can live with that. When WSA finally arrives, it'll be interesting to sideload the SDK for this app and see if/how it works.

I've noticed that Android emulators come and go. It's probably difficult to implement one that doesn't break when Microsoft makes some security enhancement or so-called feature.

My experience has been that out of all the emulators I tried (and I think I tried all of them over the years) the only one that refused to work except with certain graphics hardware (intel 620 graphics and one or two Nvidia versions) was AMIDuOS). It's a pity because this one happened to be the one that worked and looked exactly the way I wanted.  Unlike all the others, it wasn't aimed at gamers but simply made the PC look and function exactly like an Android Lollipop device.  American Megatrends stopped supporting it in 2018 but some of the other emulators out there are even older and they still work ok even on recent graphics hardware like the Intel Iris Xe on my Windows 11 tablet.

Every other emulator from Bluestacks (all versions) on down worked fine on all my Windows PCs - desktops, tablets etc but they are all plastered with game ads and shortcuts. LDPlayer which I'm using now can actually be tweaked to get rid of those so you get a clean Android desktop.

With WSA you'll be assured of having the same emulator in the years ahead.

A perfectly valid point and I shall look forward to trying it out - when it finally comes!

Similarly, I don't know anyone who is using Windows subsystem for Linux, and it has been available for years. Saves money on VM software, anyway.

I've never bothered trying Linux on a Windows machine but keep a spare PC running Fedora just to tinker with.  If I ever decide I've had enough of Windows, it would make a good alternative.

sacentre wrote:

CAcreeks wrote:

sacentre (Trevor) wrote:

When I bought a new Windows 11 tablet, I was hoping it wouldn't be too long before I would be running my favourite Android apps but so far, my region is still waiting for WSA and most of what I've read about it so far sounds pretty underwhelming. I've used Android phones and tablets in the past but like being able to run both OSs on a single device.

I'd previously used an emulator on a Windows 10 tablet but the one I was using (AMIDuOS) would not run on the new Windows 11 hardware. After months of trying out alternatives, I eventually found one that looks and works almost as good and most importantly includes Google Play services.

I'm not sure why anyone would actually need or want WSA particularly when it only runs apps from the Amazon app store (at least for now) when there are so many good emulators out there.

Good question. You sent me looking for "what is it good for articles" and I found one, although the conclusion is that it's good primarily for the Kindle app. I have a Paperwhite, which is much easier on the eyes than color screens, so I'm out.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/android-on-windows-11-is-it-worth-the-effort/

I'm just interested in hearing folks views about this.

My view was that it's useless, but as Ed Bott points out, a proof of concept.

Most of the things I use my phone for -- GPS assisted map navigation, mobile data sans WiFi, flashlight, making phone calls, SMS texting, Google Pay via NFC, FM radio -- are not available on a W10 tablet. Sure, Surface is available with LTE but do I want to pay for a second device?

I read that one too. I was basically looking for a clear advantage of WSA over an emulator and haven't seen one yet. I don't know the tech stuff but my guess is that WSA is basically just another emulator anyway. It's early days yet so maybe later MS will allow access to Google Play store. Till then I'll stick to the emulator that allows me to run a favourite app I am anxious to keep (LDPlayer/Lollipop). It has a few wrinkles in that some of the functions don't work but I can live with that. When WSA finally arrives, it'll be intersting to sideload the SDK for this app and see if/how it works.

If you have used any emulator lately, you would understand why people want WSA. Every emulator I have used is chock full of crap, spyware, etc. And not based on anything remotely current.  You can use WSA and the aroura store and have basically full android compatibility right in windows. I have many uses personally, other may not. I would be able to ditch my android tablet and move to a surface go, have all my windows software and android software in one system, and also have the android apps I want on my desktop. There is no downsides to having these software apps available to windows and Microsoft has realized this as well.