Ten years ago, we covered one of Microsoft’s most innovative ideas: encouraging Android developers to port their apps to Windows 10 and link notifications through Cortana. It was a glimpse of a company trying to unify ecosystems before “cross-platform” became a default expectation.
In 2026, that vision still seems important. Microsoft’s current AI strategy, which spans Windows, Android, and the cloud, relies squarely on the same connective tissue. Astoria (Android app emulation) and Cortana (first AI assistant) once represented. Back then, it was all about notifications and app parity; Today, it’s all about smart context and seamless device continuity. Some even predict that we won’t need apps in the coming years as AI will take care of everything.
Looking back, this story reads like one of the first chapters in Microsoft’s long game to make Windows not just an operating system, but a hub for all the platforms around it. While it did not work as expected, we have Telephone link today to help close that gap. — Daniel Rubino, editor in chief
The original article, in which Microsoft encourages the migration of Android apps to Windows 10 via Cortana notifications, was published on June 10, 2016, by John Callaham.
Microsoft is using the Cortana notification sync feature in windows 10 to add a “request app” feature if the notification comes from an Android smartphone.
The notifications were first detected by Reddit user “MrPromaster”. The “Request App” link leads to a UserVoice page where anyone can recommend an app be added to the Windows Store.
This new method of encouraging more Android apps to come to the Windows Store comes several months after Microsoft officially canceled its “Project Astoria” bridge tool plans that would have made it easier for developers to migrate apps from Android to Windows 10.
Notification syncing between Android and Windows 10 is currently only available to those running Insider builds of ‘Redstone’.
While notifications can be configured on Android, the request is also not discriminatory. For example, the request feature appeared in the Google Play store after doing some app updates. The same goes for Shazam, although there is already a Shazam app available for Windows 10. While this tactic is not a success in bringing more apps to Windows 10, it is a pretty smart move to reach the millions of Android users who also use a Windows PC every day.
We’ll have to wait and see how well this new strategy pays off once the Windows 10 Anniversary Update rolls out to the masses later this summer.
