March 06, 2024 – In a recent and understated update to its technical support documentation, Microsoft has revealed that the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) has been removed from Windows 11. This development effectively dashes the widely touted and eagerly anticipated prospect of running Android applications and games on personal computers.
The integration of PC and Android devices has long been a goal for the industry, with various attempts made by both PC and smartphone manufacturers. As a leading player in the PC market, Microsoft bore a significant responsibility in providing the necessary underlying support.
Indeed, Microsoft has been experimenting with ways to bridge the gap between PC and mobile platforms, as evidenced by its Windows Mobile operating system. However, despite these efforts, the company has ultimately failed to achieve its vision, and the removal of WSA from Windows 11 marks another setback in this regard.
According to Microsoft’s timeline, WSA will no longer be supported from March 5, 2025. This means that not only the Amazon Appstore but also any Android applications or games relying on WSA will cease to function properly. Amazon has also confirmed that it will be discontinuing its Appstore, which has already disappeared from the Microsoft Store.
Industry insiders attribute the main reason for Microsoft’s abandonment of WSA to its low adoption rate and limited user base, which prevented the ecosystem from gaining traction. This is a pattern that has been observed in some of Microsoft’s previous ventures, where the company has been criticized for releasing unfinished products that fail to gain widespread adoption and are ultimately discontinued.
