14 DAY TRIAL // One of the key features that Microsoft promised to bring in Windows 10 Mobile was the ability to run Android apps on devices powered by this OS version, but this dream is slowly fading away as more evidence shows that the company is giving up on the project.
Now it appears that Microsoft has removed links that led developers to Project Astoria, the one that was supposed to bring us Android apps for Windows 10 Mobile, and although there’s no statement from the company, everyone believes this could be the end of this once-exciting concept.
The Page Not Found error was first spotted by Twitter user @h0x0d, who also speculated that Microsoft might indeed give up on this project and concentrate on the concept of universal apps, which for the moment seems to make much more sense for the company.
Other projects
Paradoxically, work on Project Astoria was believed to advance at a satisfying pace, as previous Windows 10 Mobile builds had already allowed users to install Android apps on their devices with some third-party tools. A lot has changed since then, though.
Basically, Microsoft’s ambitious goals to allow apps developed for non-Windows platforms to run on Windows 10 Mobile are all uncertain right now, with Astoria very close to be cancelled completely.
WMPU notes that some engineers that previously worked on Project Astoria have already been re-assigned to other projects, including Nick Eubanks and Anir Agarwal.
Right now, it’s not yet clear if Microsoft wants to go forward with its other projects supposed to expand Windows 10 Mobile beyond store and universal apps. Nevertheless, people close to the matter have already suggested that Project Islandwood, which was supposed to allow us to run iOS apps on Windows 10, has also been delayed.
The only project that might actually have a chance to see daylight is Project Centennial, which would offer the possibility of running Win32 apps on Windows 10 Mobile devices with help from the Continuum adapter. This is still work in progress, but some company executives have indicated that Microsoft is indeed looking into this right now.
Universal apps, which are designed from the very beginning to run on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile devices, are the only ones currently available to users and very likely the only ones to make the cut.