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!

  • CalcProgrammer1@lemmy.todayEnglish
    1·
    2 months 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.

  • killingspark@feddit.orgEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    I’m curious, doesn’t WhatsApp require a phone number to be attached to an account? As in, I thought activating it doesn’t work on devices without a SIM card?

    • balsoft@lemmy.mlEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      I haven’t used it in a while, but I think it just sends you an SMS with a code that you can enter manually, so yeah it works on devices without a SIM

      • 56!@lemmy.ml
        0·
        2 months ago

        Exactly. I created my whatsapp account in waydroid like this.

        • iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee
          0·
          2 months ago

          …but it can’t run both in your phone and in your computer, right? For that you need the desktop app (which is Windows only) or the web app, which linux apps encapsulate right?

  • penquin@lemm.ee
    0·
    2 months 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!!!

    • ouch@lemmy.world
      0·
      2 months ago

      Wine was first released in 1993. I hope our children are there to see the take off.

      • Fonzie!@ttrpg.network
        0·
        1 month ago

        Didn’t it take off in the late 90’s within Linux communities?

        So I’d give this a few years, then.

            • apostrofail@lemmy.world
              11·
              26 days ago

              Really. Apostrophes are used for possession & contractions (not making words plural). In this case, you are omitting the 19 from the decade starting at 1990. What is plural is the years inside that decade, meaning the 10s place. All to say, it is 100% ’90s*.

                • apostrofail@lemmy.world
                  11·
                  24 days ago

                  One man’s pedentry is another man’s pet peeve. This is a syntactic error that isn’t just a typo but a misunderstanding of the mechanics of apostrophes.

  • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.comEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    Very cool. I’ll stick with a WhatsApp Matrix bridge so I don’t have to install a Meta app, though.