Android 13 is coming to Windows 11 - but I still can’t see a reason to use it
Opinion: Junk Android apps are filling up the Microsoft Store
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Android apps have been available to test onWindows 11for most of 2022, andMicrosofthas been working hard to improve the experience throughout that time. Not only did aWindows 11 update make Android apps fasterlast month, but the latest version of the OS,Android 13’Tiramisu', is in development to be rolled out in future.
The latter update will be a welcome one; the ‘Future Roadmap’ section ofMicrosoft’s GitHub pagelists ‘File Transfer’, ‘Local Network Access’ and a bunch more improvements, all of which will give Android apps new smarts when used on Windows.
Yet while it’s great that Microsoft is improving the Android experience on PC, I’m still not tempted to try it out on a desktop myself. Why? Well it mainly comes down to the terrible apps that are overflowing the Microsoft Store; in short, the company has a growing problem in this area that needs to be solved soon.
Passing on the Tiramisu for now
The above image exemplifies why I’ve not been keen to try out Android apps inWindows 11. Junk apps are all over the Microsoft Store, and even though the roadmap in Microsoft’s GitHub page could attract other developers to create or update their apps forWindows 11, it feels like a pointless endeavor.
The Store is full of apps that don’t do what they say. Granted, this is due to the Android apps being pulled in fromAmazon’s App Store, where anyone can upload an app, rather than from theGoogle Play Store, but surely Microsoft could have a team to at least approve or reject the apps that it includes in its own Store.
Instead, we’ve got a situation where the idea of Android apps on Windows sounds great, but where the execution is lousy. And as a result, we now have a redesigned Microsoft Store that was useful a year ago, but which is now full of junk Android apps.
If Microsoft wants Windows 11 to be useful and safe for everyone - and presumably it does - it needs to do better. Until then, the Android experience on PC will remain a frustrating work in progress.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.
WhatsApp will soon help you spot misinformation – here’s how
Google Messages on Android could soon get a big photo-sharing boost
NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, November 10 (game #252)
