When announcing Windows 11 Microsoft has said that users of the new OS will be able to install and use Android apps. Moreover, it was not about the ” Your Phone ” application or the transfer of the contents of the screen of a mobile device, but about native support for launching Android applications. Since Google Play was out of the question, Microsoft entered into an agreement with Amazon to integrate Amazon Appstore support into Windows 11. Now Windows 11 users will be able to browse the store, install and manage apps and games, and use them on their devices.
But before this announcement from Microsoft, Google has announced that it is moving from its current format to the new Android App Bundle (AAB) format. From August 2021, developers will have to submit their Android apps to Google Play in the new format.
This new App Bundle format has several advantages over the APK, for example, the distribution size in the case of the AAB will be smaller. However, there are drawbacks – the new format is optimized for specific devices, which means it will be much more difficult to extract the application and make it available elsewhere.
Also, last week Amazon confirmed that its app store will support the new App Bundle format. However, the new format will be optional on the Amazon Appstore whereas in the Google play store it will be mandatory. So in the Amazon Appstore developers can continue to work with the APK or switch to AAB if they wish. This decision will have a positive impact on the Windows 11 ecosystem, as the new format will be supported in the new Microsoft OS.
If we look at the number of apps and mobile games available in Google Play it has advantages over the Amazon Appstore. However, Amazon can benefit from the decision to support the App Bundle format without asking for a developer signing key.
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