Users run Android apps on Windows 10 Mobile without customization

Users have managed to run Android apps on Windows 10 Mobile without any code changes. However, they ran into the problem that many apps use Google Play Services and therefore do not run.

Installing Android apps on devices with Windows 10 Mobile is possible due to the leak of the tool that makes it possible to connect a Windows device to a PC as if it were an Android device, the so-called wconnect tool. If the PC and the smartphone are connected via USB or WiFi, it is possible to install Android apps through the Android Debug Bridge software like on an Android device, using the adb-install command.

In addition, users do not need to modify APKs for the software to run. However, it is still impossible to install Google Play Services. Since many developers use APIs from Google, the trick will only work on some apps or some of the apps functionality will be disabled. Fan site WMPU installed, among other things, the Android apps from Slack and Twitter on a Lumia. The installation of YouTube did not work.

The ability to install Android apps on Windows 10 Mobile is part of Microsoft’s Project Astoria. That should allow developers to quickly port apps. Android apps can run on Windows 10 Mobile, but not on Windows 10 PCs.

Windows 10 Mobile joins a growing list of mobile operating systems that will receive support for running Android apps. Sailfish from Jolla and BlackBerry 10 can do that too.