Deepin Linux 20.2.2 introduces a new software store that supports Android apps ... or so they say

Recently, after the announcement of Windows 11 and its support for Android applications, I read a comment that said that Linux should do the same. I agree, in part, because I would like to be able to use Android apps on Linux in a simple way, but "Linux" is a kernel and the different projects seem not to agree to achieve that goal. Yes there are teams of developers that are doing it, such as Ubuntu Web, JingOS or, more recently, the Chinese behind it. Deepin Linux 20.2.2 which have launched today.

I, who am not following the development of Deepin Linux much, beyond following them on Twitter, I have found out about this news by reading the medium 9to5Linux. Soon they managed to capture my attention, it was only necessary to include the words "Android support" to remember, for example, that there are no decent Twitter clients (not for me) for Linux if the service is not used from the browser.

Deepin Linux 20.2.2 is of Chinese origin

To write this article I wanted to check out this new app store for myself. I have done it in GNOME Boxes, from where it has not allowed me to start a Live Session. Thus, knowing that the GNOME box installations are fast, I have installed the system to test it a bit, for which a 64GB minimum.

And, well, I can't say I wasted my time with this, because the installation was done while I was writing the article, but it has been a bit like that. Once the system is installed, I have seen that the Spanish they use is a bit "strange", so much so that there are things that are seen in Portuguese. And the store is in Chinese, so I have not wanted to continue testing, and less when not finding official information on how to install Android applications in Deepin Linux 20.2.2. Yes I can say that the APKs are not installed from the new store, and no Android apps appear in searches. The adb package is not installed either, so the Anbox-style terminal installations are not available either.

other developments

After checking the above, we must talk about the news that Deepin Linux 20.2.2 includes:

• The aforementioned new app store with support for installing Android apps, or so they say. Batch applications can also be installed and the layout has been improved.
• Support for Secure Boot.
• New option to choose which kernel to use from two available ones. Right now you can use Linux 5.10 LTS or Linux 5.12.
• Updated DDE (Deepin Desktop Environment). Now it supports several biometric authentication systems, includes a new lock screen and redesigned control center, the file manager supports screensavers and the browser includes new extensions.
• Many corrections in applications such as Music, photo album, image viewer or mail.

Interested users can download Deepin Linux 20.2.2 from this link. To use only DDE, there are other options that seem better to me, such as Manjaro.