Windows 10 Capable Of Running Android And iOS Apps

Microsoft is releasing software tools for developers which will help Apple and Android apps run on all Windows 10 devices, with only minor changes to the code required for iOS, and none at all for most Android apps.

To get this working Microsoft has basically built a pair of APIs capable of mimicking Google’s and Apple’s, meaning a few code changes and a recompiling is all that’s needed to get the games and apps running on Windows 10.

At the moment most mobile games debut on iOS with an Android release shortly after, while Windows is left by the wayside. This solution helps bridge the gap between Windows apps and the vastly more successful stores of its rivals, ensuring Microsoft is the de facto third choice for app developers - a step up from the tumbleweed currently blowing through its Windows App Store.

So far Microsoft has demonstrated the iOS version of Candy Crush Saga running in Windows 10, but it’s hoping this is just the beginning of an influx of apps. In fact, Microsoft VP of OS development, Terry Myerson, has claimed the goal is for 1 billion Windows 10 devices worldwide in the two to three years after its release. It’s going to need more than Candy Crush Saga to get those numbers, but this is an important first step.