Yesterday, we were treated to images of WhatsApp running on the Samsung Z1, the company’s first commercial Tizen phone that is expected to be launched tomorrow. At the time, it looked like the phone was running a native client (albeit one that looked like the Android version of the app), but it turns out that it was actually the Android app being emulated on the device. Tizen doesn’t officially support Android apps, but it is still possible thanks to OpenMobile’s Application Compatibility Layer (ACL), which will be available alongside the Z1’s launch, in the Tizen app store.
Running WhatsApp and other Android apps will be as simple as downloading them from the Tizen store after installing ACL. A video published by Tizen Experts shows the simple procedure; according to the publication, ACL will offer app performance comparable to what we see on Android devices, and will also offer more than a thousand Android apps from the get-go. It’s unclear if Samsung is officially backing OpenMobile with its emulation technology, but for users looking to buy the Z1 and future Tizen devices, ACL will surely help them get access to lot of apps as soon as they fire up their device.
