Mashal Rehman / Android Authority
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- Google has revealed that it is developing a Linux terminal app to convert Android into a platform for development and eventually gaming.
- The app operates in the Virtual Machine on the selected Android devices.
- Recent Android Bloods can already run graphical linux apps, paving the way for Android to become a real desktop computing platform.
When Google released a Linux terminal app earlier this year, it created a lot of resonance between fans and developers. Despite the excitement, Google has been silent about this release, even refusing to mention it at its annual I/O developer conference. However, recently, Google posted documents for the terminal app, which showed its expensive projects for this feature.
With the Linux terminal, Google aims to allow developers to make Android apps directly on Android devices. Finally, the company plans to allow consumers to run full graphical linux apps and games. The ultimate goal may be to convert Android into a first-class desktop platform that makes Macos and Windows competitors-and we may not be more excited.
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The Linux Terminal app reached the second quarter of Android 15, which was launched by Google last March. It uses an Android virtualization framework (AVF) to boot the image of Deben OS in the Virtual Machine (VM), which provides users with a terminal interface to run Linux command.
Google recently updated its official documents for the AVF, highlighting the Linux terminal app as a key use. The documents indicate a longtime limit, noting that “Android has traditionally been the only larger operating system that does not allow users to produce apps on the platform itself.” Unlike Macos or Windows, apps for Android are always required to make a separate computer because development tools are not locally available on OS.
By introducing the Linux terminal app, Google can provide Linux -based development environment to “Android users who are developers.” This is very important because many development tools, including Google’s official Android Studios, are available for traditional Linux distribution.
Although Android Studio is available for Linux, it has a warning: it does not currently support the arm -based CPU that strengthens the majority of Android devices. Google, Google, to enable the true on -device development, will potentially need to add arm support to the Linux version of the Android Studio, which will allow it to operate in a virtual machine on Android devices as it is already on Chrome OS.
What is more interesting is that Google plans to enable OEMS “graphical user interface apps and even modern VM use issues such as running sports. To meet this, the company is working to add graphics, audio, and hardware accommodation to AVF.
This work is already taking fruit. The Android Canary Blood Terminal app released last week allows the app to operate graphical linux applications. We experienced this new capacity over the weekend and successfully operated several full Linux apps-which includes desktop version chromium, gimp, and library office-a pixel 8 pro.
Compared to our initial tests in January, the terminal app now operates Linux apps much more reliable, though performance is still slow. When we run a speedometer benchmark inside the VM, for example, he scored less than half of what he did locally. Google Google still has a lot of work to fix worms and improve performance, but it is impressive how far this feature has come after its initial release.
If well implemented, the Linux environment can also provide Android to the desktop gaming platform. Chrome Box is currently run by a layer of proton compatibility, with its Linux environment running Windows Games, so theoretically can be done on Android. However, the CPU architecture will once again create a challenge, as the proton-based CPU does not support-at least, not yet. Valve rumors that they are working on the support of the proton. If true, it can open the door to run Windows Games on Android through its new Linux environment.
The increase of the AVF and the Linux environment introduces the wealth of new possibilities, and we are excited to see Google continuing this work. These features can also be the key to long -term ambitions to integrate Google’s Chrome OS and Android into the same, united platform. For Android, it really needs to be more than just the blowing version of your mobile OS, to compete with Micros and Windows on the desktop. It needs to win on developers and concerts that demand a powerful, versatile platform, and these new features are an important step in this direction.
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