A new tool for Linux that takes virtualisation and emulation to the next level has emerged. Called Anbox, the software allows users to run Android apps just like native apps on their Linux systems.
Anbox uses a freeform mode that Google introduced in Android 7.0 (Nougat). The freeform mode enables app windows to be resized and moved around the screen. This makes Anbox capable to directly runs native Android app in a resized format on Linux desktop.
Uses Linux container technologies
Alongside leveraging Google’s freeform, Anbox tool utilises Linux container technologies to smoothly run apps. It puts Android OS into a container, abstracts hardware access and integrates core system services within GNU/Linux system. The closed integration lets an Android app behave like a native application on Linux.
“Anbox puts the Android operating system into a container, abstracts hardware access and integrates core system services into a GNU/Linux system,” reads the description on the Anbox website.
Developers behind the tool claim that Android OS is sandboxed in a container to assure the security. Notably, Anbox does not offer any direct access to user’s data. It also requires ADB to install third-party Android apps on Linux systems.
The alpha version of Anbox is available for download from its official site. At the present stage, it supports only Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and later versions.
You can also access the Anbox code from its GitHub repository to create new experiences by enabling Android app support on Linux. The code also helps in improving the initial build of the tool with bug fixes and performance improvements.
