Wow, this is really huge for those of you that either have a new Windows 8 device, or have been sitting on the fence about what kind of computer to buy next. If you’re in the latter category, this news might just steer you towards choosing a Windows 8 laptop or tablet.
Before we get into details, let’s talk about what this software is. BlueStacks is a startup focused on bringing Android app compatibility to Windows and Mac computers. Previously, the company reached distribution agreements with major manufacturers like AMD, Asus, Lenovo, and MSI to get their software preloaded on the respective companies’ 2024 offerings. To put that in perspective, the company expects to have its software in 100 million computers this year. But if that weren’t enough, the company is said to be negotiating with HP and Dell on similar distribution agreements. This is all interesting you may be thinking, but what is the breaking news, you ask?
Well, here you go. Yesterday, there were only 35,000 apps that could run natively on the Windows 8 operating system, but BlueStacks this morning released its App Player for Windows 8 devices, including the Surface Pro tablet. In essence, this means Windows 8 just inherited 750,000 apps from Android. All of this surely comes as great news to Microsoft, as the company hasn’t seen the demand it expected for its Surface or Surface Pro tablets.
“The Surface Pro is an innovative device, but it has none of the top apps,” says BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. “This fixes that and adds a lot of value for buyers.”
The BlueStacks App Player can be launched from a tile pinned to the Windows 8 Start screen, opening in a true full-screen mode, essentially making its Apps seem like native Windows 8 apps. Just as they would on an Android smartphone or tablet, the apps will load in landscape or portrait orientation depending on how you are holding the Windows 8 tablet. I imagine the orientation will be predetermined on laptops and desktops.
“We have had a lot of people write us that they were on the fence about getting a Surface Pro, and were waiting for something like this.”
– John Gargiulo, BlueStacks VP of Marketing and Biz Development
This news will undoubtedly be huge for the growth and adoption of Windows 8 software and devices, and it can only be a good thing to help add competition in the industry.
Here is a video demo of how this works. Remember, this is on Windows 7, and on Windows 8, the software runs in full screen mode.
