Some Windows 8 laptops and PCs could end up running more Android apps than ones written for Microsoft's software.
Gadgets built around chips made by AMD will come optimised to run the Android apps.
A collaboration between AMD and software firm Bluestacks lets the devices run the 500,000 apps more usually found on Android phones.
By contrast, Microsoft reportedly only has a few thousand apps written specifically for Windows 8 at launch.
The Android apps will be available on Windows 8 devices via AMD's AppZone player. Inside this is code from Bluestacks that acts as a wrapper around the mobile phone programs so they can run on desktops, laptops and tablets.
AMD has made changes to the core code that runs its processors and graphics cards to ensure apps built for the small screens on mobile phones look good and run well on larger displays.
