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This is a lot less exciting than it seems to be at first glance. Opening apps from my phone on desktop: yes, I can see utility at that. But opening standalone p

This is a lot less exciting than it seems to be at first glance. Opening apps from my phone on desktop: yes, I can see utility at that. But opening standalone phone app installations on my desktop? Why? There is almost no phone app I can think of that doesn't have a much better desktop equivalent - save, maybe, for games, but this doesn't seem to be aimed for that. Since app developers need to make extra effort here to make it work (repackaging, maintaining store presence) and the experience is definitely worse, I don't see why big brands would do so. Microsoft should instead aim for improved general Android integration, like what they did for Samsung phones.

dooglius 6y ago
What's the desktop equivalent of Uber?
- rchowe 6y ago
  I believe Uber used to have a web app.
  - reader_mode 6y ago
    Mobile app > web app almost every time
    - mrkramer 6y ago
      Native mobile apps provide more rich features but essentially they are glorified web apps.
      - 0x6c6f6c 6y ago
        They can be glorified web apps. They aren't necessarily though.
  - mrkramer 6y ago
    And they still have m.uber.com
- poisonborz 6y ago
  A better question would be, why would Uber make the effort of maintaining a Microsoft Store conversion of their app? Is there really a need for an Uber desktop app? They built their business on iOS/Android already.
reader_mode 6y ago
>This is a lot less exciting than it seems to be at first glance. Opening apps from my phone on desktop: yes, I can see utility at that. But opening standalone phone app installations on my desktop? Why? There is almost no phone app I can think of that doesn't have a much better desktop equivalent - save, maybe, for games, but this doesn't seem to be aimed for that. People are raving about being able to use iOS apps on M1 Macs - but then again native iOS apps are usually better than Android.
- mrtranscendence 6y ago
  Are they raving, though? In the reviews I’ve read running iOS apps has been a disappointment — many apps have opted out of being available, those that haven’t have issues like viewing movies in small windows, and the “touch alternative” interface is reportedly difficult to use.
- unix_fan 6y ago
  Most reviews on the new M1 Macs Say the experience of running iOS apps is poor, at best.
- thekyle 6y ago
  One advantage Apple has is the massive collection of iPad apps available on the app store. The Android tablet app ecosystem is quite lacking in comparison.
mrkramer 6y ago
This is aimed I suppose for Android exclusive apps like games but for apps like WhatsApp for example it doesn't make sense since you have WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp for Windows PC. Android apps are made mainly for Android smartphones and they are meant to bring mobile experience to the users. You won't be using Android jogging apps and be running together with your PC in the pocket like you can with your Android smartphone.
- foxtacles 6y ago
  WhatsApp (even the Web/"Windows" versions) don't work without a smartphone though, do they? I know I'm in a minority here, but I don't own a smartphone but still have to use WA to stay in contact with some people. I have to run it using the BlueStacks emulator on my PC. I'd love to replace that with native support for Android.
- kyriakos 6y ago
  If I could id run Microsoft teams for Android on Windows, its so much better than the Windows electron based version.
cblconfederate 6y ago
simple apps like kik don't have desktop versions it's going to be more intersting when developers start building windows desktop versions of their apps on top of their android apps. It could be a trojan horse for MS to benefit from the vast android ecosystem.
- poisonborz 6y ago
  Their target group is different. If they would be interested in a desktop app, they would have done it already - and even with this, they wouldn't rely on a repackaged Android app. I expect this to be the case with all the big players. For small app devs, if the cost is really near zero, maybe - but looking at how barren the Microsoft Store is, I doubt many would bother.
chromaton 6y ago
There's no Instagram app on desktop. I need this for business.
- Scharkenberg 6y ago
  There is one for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store. It is 99% identical to the Instagram web app.
hypertele-Xii 6y ago
Cross-platform development testing. Allows developing Android apps in Windows environment?
- poisonborz 6y ago
  For that, Android Studio already offers a better-suited emulation environment.

dooglius 6y ago

What's the desktop equivalent of Uber?

rchowe 6y ago
I believe Uber used to have a web app.
- reader_mode 6y ago
  Mobile app > web app almost every time
  - mrkramer 6y ago
    Native mobile apps provide more rich features but essentially they are glorified web apps.
    - 0x6c6f6c 6y ago
      They can be glorified web apps. They aren't necessarily though.
- mrkramer 6y ago
  And they still have m.uber.com
poisonborz 6y ago
A better question would be, why would Uber make the effort of maintaining a Microsoft Store conversion of their app? Is there really a need for an Uber desktop app? They built their business on iOS/Android already.

reader_mode 6y ago

>This is a lot less exciting than it seems to be at first glance. Opening apps from my phone on desktop: yes, I can see utility at that. But opening standalone phone app installations on my desktop? Why? There is almost no phone app I can think of that doesn't have a much better desktop equivalent - save, maybe, for games, but this doesn't seem to be aimed for that. People are raving about being able to use iOS apps on M1 Macs - but then again native iOS apps are usually better than Android.

mrtranscendence 6y ago
Are they raving, though? In the reviews I’ve read running iOS apps has been a disappointment — many apps have opted out of being available, those that haven’t have issues like viewing movies in small windows, and the “touch alternative” interface is reportedly difficult to use.
unix_fan 6y ago
Most reviews on the new M1 Macs Say the experience of running iOS apps is poor, at best.
thekyle 6y ago
One advantage Apple has is the massive collection of iPad apps available on the app store. The Android tablet app ecosystem is quite lacking in comparison.

mrkramer 6y ago

This is aimed I suppose for Android exclusive apps like games but for apps like WhatsApp for example it doesn't make sense since you have WhatsApp Web and WhatsApp for Windows PC. Android apps are made mainly for Android smartphones and they are meant to bring mobile experience to the users. You won't be using Android jogging apps and be running together with your PC in the pocket like you can with your Android smartphone.

foxtacles 6y ago
WhatsApp (even the Web/"Windows" versions) don't work without a smartphone though, do they? I know I'm in a minority here, but I don't own a smartphone but still have to use WA to stay in contact with some people. I have to run it using the BlueStacks emulator on my PC. I'd love to replace that with native support for Android.
kyriakos 6y ago
If I could id run Microsoft teams for Android on Windows, its so much better than the Windows electron based version.

cblconfederate 6y ago

simple apps like kik don't have desktop versions it's going to be more intersting when developers start building windows desktop versions of their apps on top of their android apps. It could be a trojan horse for MS to benefit from the vast android ecosystem.

poisonborz 6y ago
Their target group is different. If they would be interested in a desktop app, they would have done it already - and even with this, they wouldn't rely on a repackaged Android app. I expect this to be the case with all the big players. For small app devs, if the cost is really near zero, maybe - but looking at how barren the Microsoft Store is, I doubt many would bother.

chromaton 6y ago

There's no Instagram app on desktop. I need this for business.

Scharkenberg 6y ago
There is one for Windows 10 on the Microsoft Store. It is 99% identical to the Instagram web app.

hypertele-Xii 6y ago

Cross-platform development testing. Allows developing Android apps in Windows environment?

poisonborz 6y ago
For that, Android Studio already offers a better-suited emulation environment.