AMD invests in Android app porting outfit Bluestacks

CHIP DESIGNER AMD has invested in Bluestacks, a firm that ports Android applications to Microsoft Windows.

AMD's funding of Bluestacks is in part to push the firm to optimise its Bluestacks App Player for Windows to run on the firm's Fusion application processing units (APUs). The Bluestacks App Player allows users to run the 200,000 or so apps available in the Android market on Microsoft Windows based PCs.

While AMD was keen to promote the ability to run Android applications on its own processors, Rosen Sharma, president and CEO of Bluestacks said they can be used with any processor. "AMD's investment in BlueStacks will help us to create an environment where your favourite apps can be accessed regardless of platform technology, providing greater entertainment and productivity value."

AMD has set up its Fusion Fund as a war chest it uses to try to convince developers to make use of the GPU in its Fusion processors. Without developers optimising their code to make use of the GPU in Fusion processors, AMD's current generation of Fusion APUs are at best on a par with Intel's processors.

It's good to see AMD splash the cash to promote applications development, but some might question, what is the point of running Android applications designed to run on devices with touchscreens on Windows PC machines? µ