The possibility of running Android on a Nintendo Switch has always been a source of discussion in the scene since its early days. Some are favourable to the idea, pointing to the Tegra X1 SoC at the heart of the console which is already found in other Android devices (not taking into account the customizations commissioned by Nintendo) and how such a port would both expand the console's capabilities and its software library. Others reject it, citing how many other devices would be able to do the same job in a better way without requiring any software modifications. Nevertheless, so far all those arguments have been the product of speculation, however it seems things may change soon as the developer Max Keller, also known as "langer hans", has shown a video of an unofficial Android port running on a Switch.

While we've already been teased with small details of such a port in the past, for example see this tweet made by @natinusala not too long ago, it's indeed the first time we're able to see a sneak peek of it in action. The video is linked down below and it showcases the OS's home screen, a couple applications including a WebKit browser test, switching between portrait and landscape mode and working WiFi & Bluetooth. Still, the GPU drivers don't behave properly at the moment which causes stuttering during operation.

Failed to fetch tweet https://twitter.com/langer_hans/status/1099436381791752192​

The poster is already known for other projects, mainly for modding other Android ROMs, however it underlines that most of the work has been done by another developer known as Billy Laws (ByLaws) who has already posted a device tree for the Switch on his GitLab account (link in the sources below). There is currently no public release nor ETA but this should come as no surprise as it's evident the port needs some work before it can be called usable.

What do you think? Are you excited about an Android port for the Switch or do you dismiss it as being just a gimmick?

Source

 

[Scarlet]

Imagine all the shitty gacha game I can play with this.

I dream of a world I can play FEH on my Switch. Honestly been hoping for an official port since Pokémon Quest launched on the eShop ;_;

 

[xBleedingSoulx]

If it could still play Switch games, I'd be interested. If not, why would I need another android device?

 

[Cyan]

I wonder if it's an emulator (like bochs, launched as nro), or a payload (like Lakka).
checking the sources wasn't conclusive. Time will tell us.
It's nice to see people working on projects like this and not caring about others saying it's useless.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Looking forward to this. It should be safe to use without risking a banned Switch. I'd still use my phone for most things since it's just more convenient, but I'd use the Switch for video watching, emulators, maybe some Android gaming, and the occasional web browsing. All things that benefit from the larger screen and physical controls.

 

[Mythical]

Love me some old android apps. Couldn't get some older ones to run on bluestacks (probably an update in how the android os works). Hopefully I'll be able to on this later on
Also Dark Meadow: The Pact is a great free horror game for anyone interested. I've played it several times and it's still so good

 

[Deleted User]

I wonder if it's an emulator (like bochs, launched as nro), or a payload (like Lakka).
checking the sources wasn't conclusive. Time will tell us.
It's nice to see people working on projects like this and not caring about others saying it's useless.

I guess it will be a Payload, because if it would be a Emulator, it would not be that responsive (without KVM, because it would emulate a Complete Hardware with a ARM processor and that means, that it would behave like a new Hardware, where the CPU needs to be emulated <and that would be slow> because the Emulator can't normaly use the <actual> Processor of the Switch without KVM, which would be a complicated feature to add). Emulation would only be neccessery, if it is not Programmed for the same Architecture (like for x86), because it would be needed to translate the CPU instructions to ARM and that would be slow (from my experince). But that would not be neccessery for Android, because it was Programmed for ARM processors and that means, that the Nintendo Switch would run it natively (from what i think).

 

[scionae]

Finally I can farm my gachas on 3 devices. Nice.

 

[chocoboss]

PPSSPP *-*

 

[Owenge]

I’m going to be honest, if you want emulators just stick with the ones being developed and optimized for the switch, but if you want to run apks and low demanding apk games then android on the switch is great and I personally want to see how this all plays out and the devopements that could be done to optimize its performance

 

[Pleng]

There it is, the true dualboot. Lets see how Google will ban you from the store now.

Why on earth do you think that they would they do that???

 

[Vhestal]

Why on earth do you think that they would they do that???

Was meant as a satire, as every chance Nintendo sees you doing something out-of-the blue in the Switch all heck breaks loose. Sorry if it didn't look that way.

 

[wiewiec]

PPSSPP *-*

Or Dolphin Emu

 

[lordelan]

If it could still play Switch games, I'd be interested. If not, why would I need another android device?

Of course you can. It's just another OS on your SD you boot into, just like Painless Linux and Ubuntu. It won't even touch/modify anything Horizon related.

 

[Dvdxploitr]

Glad to see this is being worked on. It makes sense that the Switch can run Android since it's using the same architecture as the Shield TV...I'm sure there are some Android games that could really benefit from physical controls as well.

 

[MK73DS]

I’m going to be honest, if you want emulators just stick with the ones being developed and optimized for the switch

How on Earth the emulators on the Switch are more optimized than the Android ones ?

 

[Owenge]

How on Earth the emulators on the Switch are more optimized than the Android ones ?

If they are running android over the current OS of the switch, then there's more to go though. If it runs like linuxon the switch, then the drivers are not optimized.

 

[lordelan]

How on Earth the emulators on the Switch are more optimized than the Android ones ?

I can tell you. They are optimized to the specific hardware of the Switch while Android emulators have to run on multiple completely different Android devices.

 

[Idaho]

I hope this will go somewhere and that drivers to support the hardware will be made, if not maybe us the community should set bounties on it, I'd really love to use either Linux or Android on my Switch, in the end it'd be far more beneficial for the users to have a 100% functional Android and/or Linux on their switch rather than homebrews, even though homebrews are nice they just can not compete with the already existing HUGE collection of already existing Android apps, if I could have linux or android on my switch, i'd totally sell my laptop away...

 

[Xabring]

As for the prospect of using Android on the Switch, dual booting the OS opens the doors to many new applications that would never show up on the Switch otherwise.

or in this case, use apps like netflix before Nintendoes it.
The hackers beat them to the punch yet again!

 

[Shrike]

Finally being able to play Tinder with joycons