Microsoft has stopped providing updates about the Android app emulator for Windows 10 phones. (Photo : Reuters)
Microsoft has reportedly stopped providing updates about the Android app emulator for Windows 10 phones titled Project Astoria. In April, the company had a conference focused on various software Bridges for developers to utilize, but the reception of one specific was controversial at best.
Project Astoria was poised to serve as the bridge that would eliminate the "app-gap" between Windows and the company's competitors such as iOS and Android, according to Windows Central.
Even as consumers were delighted to know that Windows phones would finally allow for the legal inclusion of Android apps, the developers were not exactly glad about Project Astoria.
The proposed Android app emulator would have allowed Windows devices to open an Android APK file easily. The problem with this, however, was that developers would have not much to do anymore since native Windows apps would likely be overshadowed by Android apps.
Moreover, the implementation of Project Astoria could have unintentionally started app piracy for Windows phones.
Not all of the developers were allowed to test Project Astoria as interested individuals had to apply and share experiences at a private forum.
Currently, Microsoft has not talked about the project whether publicly or privately with the chosen developers, according to PC World.
The company has yet to formally announce that Project Astoria has been shelved for an unknown amount of time, but the private forums dedicated to the Android app emulator has been remarkably silent.
Aside from this, the most recent Windows 10 Mobile Insider builds have totally lost the Android subsystem.
Some of the possible reasons for the delayed or possibly cancelled Project Astoria include the mixed reception from developers, the legal consequences of the software Bridge, the technical issue such as the Android subsystem supposedly causing Windows 10 phones to slow down, and the economic problem of having at least 60 people to work on such an important project.
