With the Desktop AVD in Android Studio, Android developers can get a taste of how Android apps function on a desktop, including some unique characteristics of desktops such as freeform window resizing and drag and drop. In addition to these form factors, we are expanding the emulator support to include desktop devices that can run Android apps, such as Chromebooks.

This has enabled developers to simulate both hardware and software characteristics of these Android devices and environments. That’s why, for years, Android Studio has offered Android developers the ability to install and test apps on emulators across different form factors, including phones, tablets, Wear OS, Android TV, and Android Auto devices.

Running apps on an emulatorĪndroid apps can run on a variety of form factors, and it’s impractical for developers to physically own each device. With the launch of Desktop AVD, developers can now test their apps in a desktop environment without all that extra work. Today, that journey for developers includes purchasing a physical Chromebook device, setting it up in their development environment, and finally deploying the app to the Chromebook for testing. Apps run into a variety of compatibility issues which directly impact user experience and satisfaction.Īs more developers optimize their apps for Chromebooks, they are looking to test and validate their app experience on Chromebooks. However, the Android app experience on Chromebooks is not always completely satisfying for users, as most Android apps and games are not optimized for large screens. Large screen Android devices are becoming an increasingly popular way for users to run Android apps, with a 50% YoY growth of users engaging with Android apps on ChromeOS last year. Be it watching the latest TV series on Netflix, listening to your favorite music playlist or podcast on Spotify, or hanging out with your friends in one of the millions of experiences on Roblox, ChromeOS has got them covered with the apps they love.

Today, we’re thrilled to add to their developer tools with the addition of a Desktop Android Virtual Device (AVD) running Android 12 with the Electric Eel canary release of Android Studio.įor years, ChromeOS has offered users the ability to easily install and enjoy Android apps. We, at ChromeOS, are committed to enhancing developer tools and frameworks that enable Android app developers to optimize their apps for Chromebooks seamlessly.

Avd manager play store