Android virtualization

[void]

Looking for hints how to virtualize an Android system and share access amongst multiple users.
One typical use case is to avoid dependency on a single smartphone with installed app that doesn't support alternative devices being associated with the same user account.

Last edited: Jan 1, 2025

 

[aniglo22]

I would recommend android cuttlefish has web UI + vnc . (https://source.android.com/docs/devices/cuttlefish)
You could also use anbox/anbox cloud (https://anbox-cloud.io/-) and genymotion/genymotion cloud (https://www.genymotion.com/)

 

[daniels27]

Do any of those have the ability to custom set the GPS location?

 

[aniglo22]

daniels27 said:
Do any of those have the ability to custom set the GPS location?
Click to expand...

All of them support it .
For cuttlefish you can do it via the GnssGrpcProxy service .(https://source.android.com/docs/devices/cuttlefish/control-environment)
Genymotion you can do it via the ui or gmtool (https://www.genymotion.com/blog/simulate-gps-movements/) and for anbox( you can use DBUS with NMEA sentences (gpsd + gpspipe))

 

[mraleph]

void said:
Looking for hints how to virtualize an Android system and share access amongst multiple users.
One typical use case is to avoid dependency on a single smartphone with installed app that doesn't support alternative devices being associated with the same user account.
Click to expand...

You may use KVM virtual machine - AOSP image or Microdroid depending on a deployment scale - and access it via VNC.

daniels27 said:
Do any of those have the ability to custom set the GPS location?
Click to expand...

@aniglo22 provided an answer so I offer a complement. You may set custom GNSS data programatically via ADB

Bash:
adb shell "am broadcast -a android.intent.action.LOCATION --es longitude $longitude --es latitude $latitude"

 

[void]

thanks for your suggestions guys
does any of the proposed solutions support (more or less) effortless remote access from an Android smart phone? Basically want to mirror the screen and (if possible) basic interfaces from the remote virtualized system to the device I hold in my palm, ideally being able to switch between couple of those.

 

[mraleph]

void said:
thanks for your suggestions guys
does any of the proposed solutions support (more or less) effortless remote access from an Android smart phone? Basically want to mirror the screen and (if possible) basic interfaces from the remote virtualized system to the device I hold in my palm, ideally being able to switch between couple of those.
Click to expand...

VNC session could be established to KVM virtual machine from Android VNC application.