The big picture: During Microsoft’s reveal, Chief Product Officer Panos Panay said users will be able to integrate Android apps into Start and the taskbar. Conventional wisdom suggests that Microsoft would have spent more time talking about the integration but in reality, Panay only briefly touched on it.

Microsoft as part of its Windows 11 presentation revealed that Android apps will run natively on the new operating system.

The surprise feature is being powered by Intel Bridge Technology, which allows mobile applications to run on the PC. Rather than teaming with Google, Microsoft partnered with Amazon and will use the Amazon Appstore to populate the Android section of the new Windows Store.

Android apps run as regular apps thanks to Amazon. Though this download process sounds a bit wonky, at least at first: pic.twitter.com/qELV0fhRMc

— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) June 24, 2021

A tweet from Joanna Stern with The Wall Street Journal sheds a bit more light on the integration, and it sounds a bit convoluted. According to Stern, if you search for an app and it happens to be an Android app, you’ll need to sign into your Amazon account to download it. And if it’s the first time you’re downloading an Android app in Windows, you’ll first have to download the Amazon Appstore as a standalone app.

Microsoft is planning to launch Windows 11 as a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 PCs this holiday season. Members of the Windows Insider program will be able to take an early build for a spin starting next week.

Thumbnail courtesy quietbits