Android apps may soon run on Windows Phones

It looks like Android apps may soon run on Windows Phones, according to reports from those with inside knowledge of Microsoft. It seems that the Redmond based software company is seriously considering allowing Android apps to run on both Windows and Windows Phones.

The plan is reportedly receiving mixed reviews from Microsoft executives, with some in favor of allowing Android apps to be listed in both the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store. Others believe that supporting Android apps would mark the beginning of the end of the Windows Phone platform.

From the time Apple launched the App Store, it has been clear that a good app ecosystem plays a big part in the popularity of platforms. While the Android platform was able to successfully respond with Google Play, the Windows Phone platform is still struggling, despite getting access to some popular apps like Instagram and Vine. But allowing Android apps to run on Windows Phone might not be the answer. BlackBerry 10 allows Android apps to run on that platform, yet there has not been a surge in sales of those phones.

Microsoft has been working hard to catch up with Android and iOS, by quickly releasing updates to Windows Phone and bringing it to par with its competitors. The GDR3 update brought support for 1080p displays and quad-core processors enabling devices like the Lumia 1520 and the recently announced Lumia Icon to better compete with powerful Android flagships like the LG G2 and Xperia Z1.

Microsoft hopes to close this gap one step further with the upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 release, which is rumored to bring a digital voice assistant, notification center and more.

Once Microsoft has established a strong platform capable of running on powerful hardware, would it make sense for the company to allow users to download, install, and run the Android apps on their devices? Many within Microsoft are concerned about the message that this would be sending to consumers. But those favoring the plan are not concerned with this. They want to use Android's popularity to sell more devices running Windows Phone and to sign these people up for Microsoft services.

Will running Android apps be the solution to bring more users to the Windows Phone platform? Or should Microsoft simply continue to push developers to bring their most popular apps to Windows Phones.


source - TheVerge | Gizmodo