5 ms·

Was just about to ask the same question. I can't come up with a single Android app I'd like to run on desktop. Is it just an app development thing?

com2kid 5y ago
Plenty of board games have android only apps that let you play multiplayer, but no web or windows app. So that is one use case! They even tend to support tablet layouts.
lostgame 5y ago
Instagram and Snapchat want to say hi. Even stuff like TextPlus that lacks desktop clients. I can think of quite a few apps I'd immediately grab.
cturtle 5y ago
Maybe Venmo since there is no desktop/web client. It frustrates me that Venmo has become so popular in my circles when it’s smartphone-only. I have a smartphone so I’ll keep using it there, but I could imagine some might appreciate the option to run apps like Venmo on a PC.
- thekyle 5y ago
  The Venmo website allows you to send and receive money just like the app.
  - cturtle 5y ago
    Good to hear! Last I checked (around a year ago iirc) it wasn't possible.
kingcharles 5y ago
There's a growing number of mobile apps that don't expose all their features through their web apps, e.g. Cash, Venmo, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat etc. It's a total pain for me to have to always open my phone and use the tiny keyboard to carry out some trivial task.
KoftaBob 5y ago
All the streaming services that allow you to download/save shows/movies for offline viewing, only offer that feature on their apps.
- pedro2 5y ago
  Netflix refuses to run on Bluestacks, so double-check your favourite app first.
keithnz 5y ago
It's probably more interesting on things like Microsoft surface. Not sure Microsoft have the stomach for it yet, but they possibly could have another crack at doing phones.
SBArbeit 5y ago
Any app that has developers who think that making an Android version (TAM: 1B+ users) is more important than creating a native Windows version (also 1B+ users), is an app that I will want to run on Windows. I mean, I'd rather have a native Windows app, but if that's not an option, I'd rather have an Android app than a website in most cases.
staticman2 5y ago
Windows doesn't have a lot of great touch friendly apps since Windows 8 was a huge failure. I could see myself using this if I ever bought a windows tablet. For example, if you like comic books, the touch friendly comic readers on windows are pretty bad. Also the biggest comic store, Comixology from Amazon, is not available in a windows app version.
kevingadd 5y ago
Lots of games, and some apps/services are mobile-first. I play a few different android games on my PC in an emulator. The best (IMO) Twitter client around is also Android-only.

com2kid 5y ago

Plenty of board games have android only apps that let you play multiplayer, but no web or windows app. So that is one use case! They even tend to support tablet layouts.

lostgame 5y ago

Instagram and Snapchat want to say hi. Even stuff like TextPlus that lacks desktop clients. I can think of quite a few apps I'd immediately grab.

cturtle 5y ago

Maybe Venmo since there is no desktop/web client. It frustrates me that Venmo has become so popular in my circles when it’s smartphone-only. I have a smartphone so I’ll keep using it there, but I could imagine some might appreciate the option to run apps like Venmo on a PC.

thekyle 5y ago
The Venmo website allows you to send and receive money just like the app.
- cturtle 5y ago
  Good to hear! Last I checked (around a year ago iirc) it wasn't possible.

kingcharles 5y ago

There's a growing number of mobile apps that don't expose all their features through their web apps, e.g. Cash, Venmo, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat etc. It's a total pain for me to have to always open my phone and use the tiny keyboard to carry out some trivial task.

KoftaBob 5y ago

All the streaming services that allow you to download/save shows/movies for offline viewing, only offer that feature on their apps.

pedro2 5y ago
Netflix refuses to run on Bluestacks, so double-check your favourite app first.

keithnz 5y ago

It's probably more interesting on things like Microsoft surface. Not sure Microsoft have the stomach for it yet, but they possibly could have another crack at doing phones.

SBArbeit 5y ago

Any app that has developers who think that making an Android version (TAM: 1B+ users) is more important than creating a native Windows version (also 1B+ users), is an app that I will want to run on Windows. I mean, I'd rather have a native Windows app, but if that's not an option, I'd rather have an Android app than a website in most cases.

staticman2 5y ago

Windows doesn't have a lot of great touch friendly apps since Windows 8 was a huge failure. I could see myself using this if I ever bought a windows tablet. For example, if you like comic books, the touch friendly comic readers on windows are pretty bad. Also the biggest comic store, Comixology from Amazon, is not available in a windows app version.

kevingadd 5y ago

Lots of games, and some apps/services are mobile-first. I play a few different android games on my PC in an emulator. The best (IMO) Twitter client around is also Android-only.