Google’s Fuchsia OS Will Run Android Apps Via Android Runtime
Last updated June 14, 2021
- Google’s work-in-progress Fuchsia is confirmed to have support for running Android apps natively at launch.
- The OS allows Android apps to run using ART (Android Runtime) on Android, Chrome OS, and
- There is currently no known release date for the upcoming OS.
Google’s in-development Fuchsia OS became the talk of the town in 2016 when its code appeared on GitHub, and we finally have more information on what the upcoming OS will be capable of. A file posted on the GitHub repository revealed that the operating system will be capable of running Android apps natively via Android Runtime.
It may take several years until we have a release date and it might be the successor of Chrome OS. The iteration of Android Runtime that will be available on Fuchsia will be modified to run the apps on PC and Chrome OS as well.
Just like Fuchsia, Chrome OS is capable of running Android apps as well, but its implementation has not been too great with a number of apps showing compatibility issues. Android apps are inherently developed for phones and tablets and running them on full-sized Chromebooks does lead to scaling problems. Fuchsia OS may rectify that with tweaks as Google wants to bring Android to not only mobile devices but also PCs.
Unlike Android apps that take advantage of the APK file format to store app data, Fuchsia OS will use “.far” files and can be scaled to the resolution and internal hardware of any compatible system. If Android apps run on the upcoming OS without a hitch, more people might be willing to switch to the platform.
It is unknown what kind of devices Google Fuchsia OS will be available on. As it stands, installation of Chrome OS is very restricted, and it cannot be installed officially on any PC. You have to own a Chrome OS device to access all of the features and apps natively. Fuchsia OS might be taking a different approach, and its code suggests that it will be available on mobiles, tablets, and PCs. Will we see Android becoming a multi-platform OS? Only time will tell.
What do you think about the upcoming Fuchsia OS? Let us know in the comments below. Feel free to share your thoughts on our socials as well, on Facebook and Twitter.
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