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    Porting Android apps to run on UT

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved App Development
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      • L Offline
        linuxhelmet
        last edited by

        I've been doing a lot of thinking on this topic as I know that many are against the idea of emulating android apps in UT as sailfish does. But what if the apps themselves can be ported over? Kinda like how a console game gets ported to PC or some other method?

        Under Canonical this was a real issue that they were trying to find a solution to and seems to be a ongoing issue in the Linux/Android world as a whole. There was however a "solution" at the time and looks like the code is still out there.
        Would continuing work on something like this be worthwhile?

        Sources:
        http://www.channelfutures.com/open-source/ubuntu-devs-work-porting-android-apps-ubuntu-linux
        https://code.launchpad.net/ndr

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        • flohackF Offline
          flohack
          last edited by

          I dont think porting will work out.

          Android APIs are so much different from what is in an Ubuntu system, plus its Java, plus the whole intent/permission system...Then, how to port Apps without source code? Mostly this is a question for having Apps in UT that are not available otherwise.

          https://anbox.io/ is a proof-of-concept to run Android apps in a container, but currently there is not much happening on their side. Not that this is not our project.

          BR

          My languages: πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ

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          • L Offline
            linuxhelmet
            last edited by

            So is this something off in the horizon as far as potential development? I have seen anbox as well as other projects that have tried to take on the goal. I just noticed that NDR (unlike Anbox) was something that allowed to import the frameworks then build the rest of the app from there giving devs a base to build from so that they don't have to totally rewrite all the code.

            It would be nice if an android app could be easily ported to UT as I see the biggest issue for devs is not wanting to support the platform due to such a small market. By giving them an easy way to port android apps over this would solve several long term issues. Even if there is a way to convert android apps into snaps (not sure if that's a thing or not). Any kind of porting or conversion process is better than nothing.

            libremaxL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • libremaxL Offline
              libremax @linuxhelmet
              last edited by

              @linuxhelmet

              If you want or need an OS which can execute android apps then android, android-like or sailfishos are the right ways to go.

              For now and for the visible future, UBports UT is (very) usefull for people who don't care about android apps.

              Donate anonymously 1€/$ by year to UBports, all Ubuntu Touch users can do it ! Demonstration:
              https://forums.ubports.com/topic/1262/donate-anonymously-1-by-year-to-ubports-all-ubuntu-touch-users-can-do-it-demonstration/

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