Which Android emulator should I choose?

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1

Hello everyone

I’m looking for an Android emulator that can be installed on Tumbleweed.
The aim is to install my bank’s app on Tumbleweed (rather than on my phone, as I have absolutely no confidence in the security of a phone: theft, hacking, etc.)

I cannot download this app without being logged on my phone in to my bank’s website, and I cannot prevent the app from installing automatically.

So no manual installation required!

Why I’ve chosen to use an emulator:

  • the app stays on my desktop
  • I have access to more banking settings via the mobile app than I do on my PC
  • I’m no longer ‘restricted’ in my choice of settings: some options incur a charge if I have to ask my bank to set them up.

After reading online that it was possible to use an Android emulator, I’d opted for Waydroid.

However, I came across this post, which put me off a bit: https://forums.opensuse.org/t/ultimate-waydroid-auto-installer-for-opensuse-tumbleweed/191566

And this as well: https://gist.github.com/Runa-Chin/fac044b026946120e660fe9576da721e

Could you advise me on choosing an alternative emulator? Or another option (not using a phone) ?

2

See https://forums.opensuse.org/t/emulador-android-para-tumbleweed/166275

And https://sourceforge.net/projects/android-x86/

Worth a read https://www.android-x86.org/source.html

3

@malcolmlewis
I’d already installed Android-X86 on a virtual machine six months ago.

At first, everything had worked very well.

In September, I tried to restart this virtual machine, but all I got was a black screen. I couldn’t get it to restart.

From what I’ve read, Android-X86 is designed for older hardware: mine is very new.

And what I’ve read on the link you provided on this forum doesn’t reassure me any more.

4

You can define a cpu and arch in this case it’s arm, so having newer hardware should not be an issue as it’s an emulation. I used the x86_64 version.

You need to find a later image out there somewhere…

5

@malcolmlewis
I will try another time with Android-X86 in a new VB machine.
And i will try to install Waydroid on Kubuntu in another VB machine.

Hope i have more chances !

Thanks !

6

Ahh, I don’t use virtualbox, that could be an issue, qemu works OTB here…

7

@malcolmlewis
I had never used qemu and i don’t know what OTB is.
At time, i only use what i have used in the past with success.
But, i can learn ! :wink:

8

OTB Out-of-the-Box

9

@hui
Sorry, I’m not at all familiar with common English abbreviations!

Thank you for teaching me! :upside_down_face:

10

To me, issues like these are of a more principal nature. It’s up to the bank to make a webapp work with a decent set of features instead of requiering you to jump through loopholes to get android apps to work on your pc. It will likely not work on Android-x86 since it’s latest version only supports android 9. It probably won’t pass the apps safetychecks. It might work on waydroid though.

Your best bet is to change bank if your dissatisfied with your current one.

11

Have you tried this? https://build.opensuse.org/project/show/Emulators:Waydroid

12

@malcolmlewis
I’ve installed QEMU and KWM. Yesterday I managed to install Android-x86, but the mouse wouldn’t work properly: it would freeze, wouldn’t scroll more than halfway across the page, and I had trouble clicking on buttons.

Yesterday, KVM worked fine. But today, KVM crashed every time I tried to install LineageOS or Bliss OS.

So, I’m sticking with VirtualBox from now on.

I tried installing WayDroid on Kubuntu, but WayDroid doesn’t work: a runtime error and an argument error that doesn’t seem to be recognised in Python 3.14.

I gave up this evening after four hours of non-stop research and testing.

@WimDeWinter
Switching banks would involve a lot of sacrifices (too many). But, as the French Consumer Code gives me options to fight back, I’m going to use them and try to convince my bank that I’m in the right.
Wait and see :sunglasses:

13

@Zlinux1 Not sure then, works fine here with qemu and the script I linked to in the thread…

14

@malcolmlewis
Sorry, I did see your link, but I don’t know how to use it. This is the first time I’ve been directed to this kind of page. But what am I supposed to do with it?

If I click on the download link “https://build.opensuse.org/repositories/Emulators:Waydroid,” which says “download repository,” I end up with a text file in my “Downloads” folder on my home directory.

This page also raises some questions for me:

  • What is Fattory used for?
  • How can I explore the contents of Fattory and see if there are any other interesting programs?
  • Why isn’t Waydroid included in the Myrlyn packages?
15

@malcolmlewis
Yes, all the Waydroid packages are listed.

Do I need to download them manually?
In what order should all the required packages be installed?

That’s a lot of questions for a Tumbleweed newbie like me!

16

@Zlinux1 I can only offer pointers, my qemu test works for me, never used or needed waydroid :frowning_face:

You are probably best to create a new thread about waydroid.

17

@malcolmlewis
Noted with thanks