But will it be big in Japan? Microsoft has announced that it is expanding Android app support on Windows 11 to more countries, having taken the first steps in this regard.
This is coming good on the promise that it made in May of this year.
Japan is the first country to begin this expansion.
First of five.
Insiders in this Asian country can now test drive this handy new functionality in the OS, test out native Android apps on their system, play the coolest games, and then provide their feedback to Microsoft.
The official way to install Android apps on Windows 11 is via the Amazon App Store. Users in Japan can access it by first signing up for the Windows Insider program and then updating the Microsoft Store to version 22206.1401.6 or higher.
They also need to be on Windows 11 version 22H2 or newer, which needs to be running on devices that meet the hardware requirements for the Windows Subsystem for Android.
That said, although Microsoft supports Android apps only in Japan and the USA, various tools and methods allow users to sideload APK files directly and avoid installing the Amazon App Store on their system.
In fact, eager enthusiasts have even found a way to install the Google Play Store on Windows 11.
But in the meantime, Microsoft continues to build, add new features to, and update WSA.
These include improved gaming, multimedia, scrolling, and networking support with a range of quality-of-life enhancements. These new features are still only available to Insiders to test, but things are definitely building towards a big launch.
For now, folks in Japan have something new to try out.
