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Google’s newly developed terminal application for the Android system has already been made available in the Android 16 beta. However, this terminal does not interact directly with the Android system itself; instead, it requires downloading approximately 500MB of a Debian-based system, which functions as a virtual machine for the terminal to connect to.
In essence, the new terminal application launches a virtual machine within Android, and the terminal then connects to the Linux environment within this VM. This allows users to execute Linux scripts and run various applications within the Android ecosystem.
Ordinarily, Google refrains from offering detailed explanations regarding feature updates for Android. However, due to the proliferation of increasingly exaggerated rumors, Google engineers have now stepped forward to clarify the true intent behind the development of this new terminal application.
Speculation has emerged suggesting that this terminal can be used to launch a full-fledged Linux graphical interface—some even claim it supports an entire Linux desktop environment. Unfortunately, these claims are unfounded. At the very least, Google itself has no plans to develop a Linux desktop environment for Android.
According to Google’s engineers, the primary purpose of this new terminal application is to bring more Linux-based software, tools, and games to the Android platform, not to introduce a separate desktop environment. Android already features robust desktop-grade window management, and Google believes that offering multiple window management solutions on a single device could lead to a fragmented and less intuitive experience. Ideally, in Android’s desktop window mode, Linux applications should integrate seamlessly, presenting themselves as Android-native applications within the windowed environment.
Interestingly, Google has also acknowledged that while it does not restrict users from installing Linux desktop environments such as Xfce or GNOME within the virtual machine, it will not offer an official, pre-configured desktop experience as some have anticipated.
Given that Android itself is an open-source project, it is conceivable that OEMs or third-party ROM providers might eventually incorporate Linux desktop environments by default, or at the very least, develop custom solutions for such functionality—an outcome that would not be entirely unexpected.
Notably, Google’s long-term plan extends beyond just Debian support. In the future, other Linux distributions will be made available for users to choose from. However, Google’s immediate priority is to integrate GPU acceleration, which will significantly enhance performance within the Debian-based virtual machine.
Related Posts:
- Google Enables Linux Terminal on Android, Running Debian in a Virtual Machine
- Linux on Android: Google’s New Terminal Unveiled
- Microsoft has published the Windows Desktop Program
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