BlueStacks has released a software wrapper that will allow the Android smartphones users to run run their favourite apps on an Apple Mac computer.
The company has released Android App Player software via public alpha, powered by the company’s Layercake technology which will enable Apple users access their favourite apps in the Google Play Store and run them on any Mac laptop or desktop for free.
Bluestacks said the initial release features several apps from its developer partners, such as HandyGames, Creative Mobile and Pulse, with 17 Android apps such as Facebook, Pulse, Twitter, Whatsapp for now, while the company aims to bring 400,000 apps to Mac.
The next release of App Player would see new features and expand things in the next few months.
BlueStacks CEO Rosen Sharma said by bringing Android Apps to Mac the company is breaking open the Apple ecosystem, which has traditionally been closed.
"Also, Android is struggling because of a lack of tablet applications. Developers now have an incentive to build hi-res apps to work on the resolutions like retina displays on the new mac for example," he added.
"We love any new distribution channels that open up to us and this is a big one." Said Andrew Zhang, CEO of popular app developer Droidhen, maker of the "Defender" series. "Mac users also spend more money – we’re excited to have our apps involved."
"HandyGames has a history of trying new things and seeing what sticks," said Markus Kassulke, CEO of HandyGames. "Working with BlueStacks on the PC version has gotten us a boatload of new discovery for Clouds & Sheep and our other apps. We’re looking forward to this next frontier."
Product went live at Android & Mac wedding launch event outside Google I/O conference currently underway.
When a PC version was launched back in March, it reached one million downloads in nine days, which Bluestacks noted was faster than it had planned as people are spending a lot of time on their smartphones and want the same experience on all devices.
