Since https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/1gdhy7u/experimental_flathub_release_of_newpipe_on_linux/ got a bit of traction yesterday, this is WhatsApp straight from Meta running on Linux desktop using android-translation-layer.

android-translation-layer (ATL) is a Wine-like approach to run Android applications on Linux. Rather than running an Android container like for example Waydroid does this instead implements the Android API. Note that right now it’s very much work in progress and almost no app will work yet, but the fact that they have apps like Newpipe and WhatsApp running already is very promising!

Join the Matrix chat at #android-translation-layer:matrix.org and follow along!

  • penquin@lemm.ee
    2·
    18 days ago

    I can feel it in the air. This is going to take off just like how wine and proton took off. We are going to go through another “Linux gaming” rush all over again and this shit is going to be fun. Let’s go!!!

  • CalcProgrammer1@lemmy.todayEnglish
    1·
    18 days ago

    This Android Translation Layer looks amazing for Linux phones. Waydroid is already pretty awesome, but it’s just running full fat Android on top of your Linux system and has all the limitations that brings (poor to no notification integration with the host system, poor integration of filesystem, extra resource usage for all of the Android services, issues with power management and suspend, inability to change resolution on the fly, poor integration with host onscreen keyboard, etc). I’ve used Waydroid on postmarketOS and it’s nice to be able to have Android apps available, but it almost feels like still carrying around a second phone, just that second phone is virtual. Something like ATL sounds like it properly integrates Android apps into the host OS. I need to give this a try soon.

  • merthyr1831@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    18 days ago

    Fascinating stuff. I’m glad we’re entering this new era of Linux application compatibility! And all through the honorable work of developers who are doing stuff just for the fun of it.

  • lemonuri@lemmy.ml
    1·
    18 days ago

    Would anyone post a quick guide on how to run WhatsApp l using atl?

    There is some documentation on https://gitlab.com/android_translation_layer/android_translation_layer/-/blob/master/README.md and I am rather sure it’s the right project, but some sort of installer would be nice. I think installing all those dependencies by hand is not a good solution in the long run. Wasn’t there supposed to be a flatpack container to be downloaded somewhere?

    • PureTryOut@lemmy.kde.socialOP
      1·
      18 days ago

      I think installing all those dependencies by hand is not a good solution in the long run.

      Well, no. “In the long run” this gets packaged by distributions so you don’t have to compile anything. Right now it’s available for Alpine Linux and there is an AUR package for Arch.

      Wasn’t there supposed to be a flatpack container to be downloaded somewhere?

      There is a Flatpak (no c in that name!) base app available, and Newpipe has been packaged with that as a Flatpak, see https://flathub.org/apps/net.newpipe.NewPipe Ideally we get more stuff packaged up once more works but I don’t think it’s feasible to repackage everything out there so for a lot of applications you’ll just have to have a locally installed ATL outside of Flatpak.

  • ouch@lemmy.world
    1·
    18 days ago

    I hope this makes it easier to do TLS sniffing and security research on Android apps. A lot of developers seem to rely on no one simply looking at how much information is exposed in the APIs apps use. Currently because it’s much more difficult to sniff Android apps, a lot of privacy/security issues are not raised.