The BlueStacks App Player which debuted in 2011 and was a popular means of running Android apps on Windows is now getting an upgrade.
With the arrival of BlueStacks 2, users will be able to run multiple Android apps on Windows- and OS X-powered desktops. The company made the announcement of BlueStacks 2's release on Thursday, Dec. 3.
"Today, we're ecstatic to release BlueStacks 2! This is the single biggest update we have ever made to App Player. While there is risk associated with releasing so many features at one time, we couldn't wait to roll these out to all of our devoted users," revealed Sabrina Li, BlueStacks product manager, in a blog post.
For unfamiliar with the software, BlueStacks basically generates a virtual machine on a traditional PC so that one is able to run Android apps with ease. Per the company, over 96 percent of the apps on the Google Play Store are compatible with the app player.
The more than 100 million downloads to its credit and a billion Android apps running on it each month bear testimony to BlueStacks' popularity.
The latest update to the app basically adds an interface which will enable users to jump from one Android app to another simultaneously via the tab. The app resembles a Web browser with multiple tabs, wherein each tab has a different Android app.
The app also has a new toolbar that offers quick access to features such as adjusting the volume of the app, setting one's location and shaking the screen. These features can be accessed on the new Toolbar located on the top right of the App Player. One also has the option of clicking the Full Screen option for an immersive experience.
The good thing about BlueStacks 2 is that it is also able to play the annoying mobile adverts on a separate tab - if one clicks on the ads that is. This feature will be quite handy as it won't interrupt a user's game time.
The company intends to bring in more exciting new features and additions in the near term to the App Player. You can download BlueStacks 2 now.