Update from July 13 below, post originally posted on July 12.
When Microsoft introduced the Surface Duo late last year, it confirmed that it would use Android as the operating system for the dual-screen device. As the official launch date approaches, Microsoft’s implementation of the popular operating system appears ready to pass Google’s compatibility check.
Microsoft Product Director Panos Panay has a Surface Duo at an event on Wednesday October 2, … [+]
July 13 Update: In Android related moves, Microsoft has confirmed that it is working with Google to improve the Progressive Web Apps (PWA) experience on the mobile operating system. PWAs are applications delivered over the web and are designed to work on any platform with a standards-compliant web browser. Writing in the Middle, Judah Gabriel Himango from Microsoft talks about the latest enhancement of Microsoft’s development tool for PWA; web shortcuts:
“Web shortcuts are integrated into the operating system, such as the Windows taskbar and start menu, or the Android home screen, allowing users to quickly access the core functionality of their application.
“Today we are pleased to announce support for shortcuts in PWABuilder. Thanks to our collaboration with Google Bubblewrap, PWAs packaging for Google Play Store through pwabuilder.com will now receive full support for shortcuts.
“Support is done automatically; no additional work is required. The shortcuts you define in your web application manifest will work in your Google Play Store APK package as you might expect. As users discover and install their PWA on Google Play Store, “you can easily interact with your application again through web shortcuts.”
Full details on using the tool can be found in the same post.
The ‘Android Compatibility Program’ ensures that a device using the Android operating system is ‘Android compatible’, that is, it can run applications designed for the Android runtime environment. Think of it as a way to ensure that even though the code is open source, devices that look like Android devices can run the same apps. Windows Latest has the details:
“Google sets the requirements that manufacturers must follow if they want their phones to pass the Android Compatibility Test Pack. Based on our findings, Microsoft is apparently looking for Surface Duo to run Android 10 to pass the Google Compatibility Test Pack, which suggesting that the device launch is imminent. “
Arguably, this is a formality for an Android device, but certification is vital to another part of the Android ecosystem that the public knows about. Google Mobile Services, which is required to have Google Play Store (and other associated services such as YouTube), has ‘Android Compatibility’ as part of its requirements.
As Dieter Bohn pointed out when the Surface Duo was released, the Surface Duo will ship with Google Mobile Servicesm, ensuring the widest possible compatibility:
“That all means that the version of Android that Microsoft is running will not be a fork of Android like Amazon’s Fire operating system. It will not cause fragmentation problems. That is Google’s great victory. (It also explains why Google was so eager to tell me about its compatibility with dual screen devices on Android 10. It seemed strange to be so excited about the then blasted Galaxy Fold. Now it makes more sense.)
Microsoft has been working to ensure that Android is capable of supporting dual-screen devices, offering code for the open source project with additions including those for the browser and the Android open source project. These are compatible with the non-standard display technology that Microsot relies on to help the Surface Duo stand out.
But what can stand out more than anything else is Microsoft’s willingness to embrace Android as a whole. Rather than trying to attack on their own and develop a new ecosystem from scratch, it’s about attracting more users to Microsoft’s cloud of software and services.
Even if you still need to sign in to Google when you open Surface Duo for the first time.
Now read more about Microsoft’s Android launcher that will be the heart of the Surface Duo …
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