After Linux, heading for Android. Since 2016, Windows PCs can directly run native programs intended for various Linux distributions. A small revolution and a profound change in philosophy at Microsoft, which until then had never really been a great promoter of open software.
However, Satya Nadella, the boss who took over from Steve Ballmer at the head of Microsoft seems to have understood and integrated into the publisher’s strategy the fact that offering more openness in Windows makes the ecosystem much more attractive to long term – which will help to fight against the gradual mechanical erosion of Windows’ market share to the benefit of the competition.
Windows 11’s Android subsystem upgrades to Android 13
the Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL – which is in its second version WSL2 – is based on Hyper-V virtualization technology. It allows you to install modified versions of many Linux distributions and run their programs without changing the graphical environment, or restarting the computer.
Better: thanks to Hyper-V technology, the impact of this virtualization on system resources is reduced to a minimum. WSL2 is very popular with the general public and especially developers. Suddenly, in October 2021, Microsoft launched much the same but for the Android operating system.
Until then the subsystem was only available in beta, and you have to install the Amazon Appstore to download and install a reduced selection of applications (compared to the Google Play Store). In detail, this WSA works much like the first WSL. It’s less about virtualization than compiling on the fly (via Intel Bridge).
The beta version of this subsystem was currently running on the basis of Android 12.1 code. But now with version 2211.40000.7.0, Android 13 is coming to the subsystem. Microsoft claims that performance is improved by 50%, mouse click support works better, as does resizing of applications, or general stability.
However, you still have to go through the Amazon Appstore to install apps – no official Google Play Store port is on the horizon at the moment. And alas it is still and always a closed beta (or should we say alpha?). This means that there are quite strict conditions to participate in the program.
To take advantage of it, you must reside in the United States – the condition for registering for the specific preview program. But if this is precisely your case, or if you “have your methods” to get rid of this geoblocking (need a free VPN?), then you have to register on this page, and follow the instructions.
