In June of 2021, Microsoft announced that Android apps are officially coming to Windows 11. This Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) is now being deprecated.
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The Windows Subsystem for Android that allows some of our favorite apps to run on Windows 11 isn’t perfect, though it’s been steadily improving since its public release last year. Now Android apps in Windows 11 have access to local file sharing, allowing users to upload photos and videos with certain apps.
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Microsoft seems to finally be in a spot where Android apps are stable enough for more developers to bring in their apps as it’s dropped certain restrictions, allowing any developer to submit their apps for the Amazon App Store on Windows 11.
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Windows Subsystem for Android if the foundation for Android apps coming to Windows 11. Since launch, there have been a lot of improvements made, with the most recent one focused on stability with several crucial system updates for Android apps in Windows.
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Android apps in Windows have been an exciting feature to watch unfold over the last few months. Microsoft has no plans of slowing down support for this subset of apps; rather, the company has shared a road map of what it expects to bring to the table in the future, including Android 13 support for Windows.
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Things are moving along steadily with Microsoft’s support of Android apps through the Amazon Appstore in Windows 11. Microsoft’s WSA – Windows Subsystem for Android – platform has officially reached version 1, with the Amazon Appstore reaching over 30 regions and markets.
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Windows made a big move last year in onboarding the Amazon Appstore – a place to download Android apps onto your Windows machine. Since the release, Windows has expanded Amazon Appstore availability to over 20 regions and countries.
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Since the beginning of 2022, more Android apps have come to Windows 11 via the Amazon Appstore preview. This app marketplace allows Windows 11 users to experience Android apps right from their PC. Now, that functionality of Windows 11 is expanding to five new countries.
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While the Google Play Store is the best place for Android apps, the Amazon Appstore is one of the few reasonably viable alternatives. However, Android 12 has almost entirely broken the Amazon Appstore, and the fix isn’t exactly around the corner.
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Update: It looks like the Amazon Appstore actually began rolling out to devices with the 10.3.1 update, and that BlackBerry was simply re-highlighting the feature it added previously. Perhaps humorously, it looks like not enough people use BlackBerry devices to even know if the addition is new or not. Some users have told us that they’ve had the Appstore by default since 10.3.1, which makes us think this feature is old. Move along.
BlackBerry is rumored to be going with an Android OS for its next hardware release, according to a report from Reuters last week. But while we haven’t heard anything about that handset quite yet, it looks like BlackBerry is already giving in to the inevitable fact that it just can’t keep up with the competition — on the software front, at least. Starting today, owners of some BlackBerry devices will be receiving an update that gives access to Android apps by way of Amazon’s Appstore…
Amazon has closed its beta Mobile Wallet app today, marking a step away from the mobile payment space for the Seattle, Washington-based company. We first told you about the app, which served as a hub for gift and loyalty cards, in July of 2014. The app launched in beta and was sadly incapable compared to the app offerings of other companies like Google Wallet and PayPal, not even giving users the ability to load debit or credit cards.
Today, the Amazon App Store is celebrating Thanksgiving by offering a bundle of paid apps for nothing, on top of its Free App of the Day. There are 40 apps worth around $115 available to download for free on Android and Kindle devices. One standout from the bunch is Sonic Jump which is regular $2.99 and has received 4+ star ratings from over 8,000 reviews across Amazon and Google Play.
The original platform jumper is back as Sonic leaps up an all new vertically challenging adventure in stunning HD graphics! Play as Sonic or his friends leaping through familiar and new Sonic worlds to battle Dr. Eggman, as you tilt and tap your way through fixed Story levels and Arcade infinite modes.
Other notable apps in today’s Thanksgiving bundle include Bejeweled 2 (Reg. $2.99, 4 stars from 3,000+), Angry Birds Seasons (Ad -Free), Quell Memento (Reg. $2.99) and many others.
Head over to the Black Friday coverage on 9to5Toys for more holiday deals, including the daily roundup for all the best game/app deals.
Is the Amazon Fire Phone simmering out? Recent estimates reached by The Guardian pegged the device at having sold less than 35,000 units and today Amazon and AT&T are bringing down the price to 99¢ on a two year contract less than two months after launch. The device was previously priced at $199 for 32GB with a two year commitment, which many observed was a rather high price point for a not-so-remarkable handset mostly differentiated by its 3D effect and Amazon Prime services…
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Microsoft announced today that its cloud-based OneDrive storage application is now available for the Kindle Fire and Fire Phone via the Amazon Appstore. Similar to Google Drive, Microsoft’s online storage solution lets users share photos, videos, documents and other items with other people directly from their smartphone or tablet.
Amazon has just kicked off a 2-day Android App sale that includes 30 different apps for free. These “essential” apps cover a range of categories including games, utilities, travel, finance, fitness and more. This sale is a great way to pad your app library without spending a dime.
Before you get started, make sure you have the Amazon Appstore for Android installed on your smartphone or tablet.
Here’s our top picks:
Shortly after its unveiling, an actual copy of the Android L keyboard pulled straight from the Developer Preview OS appeared on the Play Store thanks to a developer by the name of Shen Ye. And while it was pulled after two short weeks because it violated Google’s policies, Ye has now taken the keyboard to the Amazon Appstore to hopefully avoid any future conflict.
Amazon is now a part of the Federal Trade Commission’s investigations into technology corporations with mobile application marketplaces unlawfully billing parents for in-app-purchases. Both Apple and Google have been tangled in the allegations with Apple settling earlier this year and Apple telling the FTC to investigate Google. The FTC today announced it is filing a complaint against Amazon, saying that children have been able to buy goods and extras within apps without the consent of parents. The full release from the FTC can be found below:
Following a CIRP report claiming that BlackBerry’s smartphone market share was now zero (that is, too small to measure), the company has hit back with a ‘fact check’ portal intended to present its side of the story to what it sees as “sensationalized reports.”
To be fair to the company, the CIRP report in question measured consumer share, while BlackBerry’s strength has always been in the enterprise market, where BlackBerry says it still leads.
[In the Enterprise space] BlackBerry has the largest install base, an unparalleled global infrastructure, and the deepest understanding of how to provide secure, productive mobile collaboration and communications in the enterprise space.
Which may well be true for the moment, but the very fact that the company feels it has to work so hard to present its case is testament itself to its precarious prospects.
BlackBerry announced earlier this month that apps on the Amazon Appstore will be available to BlackBerry 10 owners from the fall.
New data from App Annie shows that revenue from apps downloaded via the Google Play store more than doubled between the first quarters of 2013 and 2014 – and that a staggering 98 percent of it comes from in-app purchases in apps that were free to download.
Games continue to dominate the charts, accounting for 40 percent of all downloads but 90 percent of revenues, up from 80 percent last year …
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BlackBerry continues its push to make the platform’s app ecosystem on par with Android and iOS, and a new move announced today will probably be the company’s biggest stride yet. As of the BlackBerry 10.3 update landing this Fall, the apps within the Amazon Appstore will be available to BlackBerry 10 device owners.
Amazon announced today that its standalone Appstore has been growing very quickly, tripling the number of apps that were in the store just 12 months ago. The company also announced that Amazon Coins, which let users save money on apps and games by buying the “currency” in bulk, have been very popular with customers having already spent “hundreds of millions” of them.
And apparently, developers are extremely happy with the store. When surveyed, 65% developers said that total revenue is just as good or better on Kindle Fire compared to other platforms, 74% said that Average Revenue per App/User is as good or better, and 76% said that the Kindle Fire “helps them connect with new market segments.”
“Developers tell us that they experience improved reach, greater monetization, and, oftentimes, higher revenue when they have their apps and games in the Amazon Appstore,” said Mike George, Vice President of Amazon Appstore and Games. “But this is just the beginning—we’re building more services and capabilities for developers and more Android-based APIs based on their feedback. Most Android apps just work on Kindle Fire, and with an Appstore made for Android devices, Amazon’s Appstore can help developers distribute their apps on Android devices all over the world. It’s a great time for developers to bring their apps to the Amazon Appstore.”
Amazon is holding a press event this wednesday, which is all but confirmed to be the company’s first entry into the smartphone market.
From 9to5Toys.com:
Amazon is celebrating Memorial Day by giving away 200 Amazon Coins with each free download of select Android apps. It appears that these apps are free outside of this promotion as well, but do not typically include 
bonus Coins. Downloading each of these apps will net you a total of 1,000 Coins, which carries a value of $10.
Browse the top Android apps to find great titles to use your free Coins on and don’t forget that you can still get 2,000 Coins ($20 value) for downloading Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Get the Amazon Appstore for Android here.
From 9to5Toys.com:
Instead of making just one app free, Amazon is stepping up its game and offering nine photo Android apps for free today.
The highlight of today’s promotion is the popular editing suite, PicShop, which typically lists for $2.99 at the Amazon Appstore and $4.99 at Google Play. It packs a plethora of photo editing tools such as color/saturation, brightness/contrast, sharpen/blur, tilt shift, depth of field, blemish remover, redeye remover, auto-correction, and more. Over 1,350 Amazon reviewers rate it 3.8 out of 5 stars.
Here are the other apps that are available for free today. As an added bonus you will also receive 100 free Amazon codes for each download:
Don’t forget you can also earn $20 worth of Amazon Coins by downloading Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
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From 9to5Toys.com:
The Amazon Appstore for Android has dropped the price of Plex, the popular media server software, down to just $0.99. As a pricing comparison, it carries a list price of $4.99, which both Google Play and the iTunes App Store are currently charging. It could be a coincidence, but it’s worth noting that this discounted rate popped up on the Amazon App Store on the same day its set to unveil its long-awaited streaming media player. Plex recently added Chromecast support for all iOS and Android users. There’s no word on when this promotion will end so get downloading!
