Google admits some 'complex' Android apps run poorly on Intel Googlebooks

Googlebooks, the new platform designed to play well with Android smartphones, may have problems with Android apps in some cases. The issue is with Intel x86 Googlebooks, which can have compatibility issues with some "complex" apps, Google has admitted. 

"The vast majority of Android apps run smoothly across both Intel and Qualcomm Googlebooks right out of the box," Google told Android Authority. "Because many Android apps were originally designed for Arm chips, a small handful of complex apps or games need some developer tuning to run their best on Intel-based platforms. We're working hand-in-hand with app developers, Intel, and Qualcomm to continuously optimize performance and expand compatibility across the entire portfolio."

Google offers a curated group of optimized apps for Googlebooks. However, the company has previously said that even without optimization, Android apps can be downloaded on Googlebooks via the Play Store. The company didn't say which apps specifically have compatibility issues on x86 machines (or the nature of those issues). 

Android apps are designed to run on ARM architecture, so Intel Googlebooks rely on a hardware translation layer to run Android apps. Google has previously said that converting and executing ARM code on x86-based Chromebooks results in reduced performance and battery life. Android apps compiled for x86 processors don't have such issues, however. 

At this point, there are three Intel Core 5 Googlebooks from Acer, ASUS and Lenovo, along with two ARM models equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite chip (Dell and HP). Once we test those models, we'll know more how Android app compatibility and support differs across those different hardware platforms.