We’ve already got Nokia reportedly making an Android-based phone, and here comes another doozy: Microsoft is “seriously considering” allowing Android apps to run on Windows and Windows Phone, according to a report by the Verge today, quoting anonymous sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans.
Yes, it sounds a little nutty, but hey, this would at least represent a chance for new CEO Satya Nadella to break with tradition.
We’ve contacted Microsoft representatives to see if a denial is forthcoming. Meantime, the story is spreading and, at the very least, raising new questions about the strength of Microsoft’s app ecosystem on tablets and smartphones.
[Update, 11:05 a.m.: Microsoft isn’t commenting on this one.]
The Verge cautions, “While planning is ongoing and it’s still early, we’re told that some inside Microsoft favor the idea of simply enabling Android apps inside its Windows and Windows Phone Stores, while others believe it could lead to the death of the Windows platform altogether. The mixed (and strong) feelings internally highlight that Microsoft will need to be careful with any radical move.”
Microsoft has actually been making progress with the addition of Instagram and other popular apps that had previously been missing from Windows Phone, but the issue is that app developers still tend to target iPhone and Android first.
