Gamers have a tendency to hack their devices, whether the manufacturer likes it or not. While this usually means hacking an NES Classic to play more games, this can occasionally be something as complex as adding an entirely new operating system to the machine. Such is the case with the Nintendo Switch, which is now able to run Android thanks to some homebrew developers at XDA.
Of course, the ability to run Android on the Switch comes with some major caveats. The OS, obviously, isn't officially supported by Nintendo, and installing it comes with the obvious risk of completely destroying the hybrid console. On top of that, there are still quite a few bugs that come along with the installation. Battery life will take a major hit, which already isn't great on the Switch, though this is something Nintendo is seeking to fix with upcoming iterations of the console. The system also has issues with the screen auto-rotating, as the team hasn't quite figured out how to work with the console's sensors yet.
That being said, there are a few perks to putting Android on the Nintendo Switch, if fans are willing to give it a go. Chief among them is that the version of the operating system being installed is similar to the Nvidia Shield, which means that players will be able to download games like Half-Life 2 and Borderlands on the console. It still works in both docked and undocked mode too, so it's possible to take the games on the go.
Players will have to decide for themselves whether it's worth it to attempt to install Android on their Switch, though it probably isn't worth it. Sure, it's cool to be able to play non-Switch games on the console, but that doesn't really outweigh the risks of potentially breaking the console. Nintendo won't repair any consoles that are damaged by the modification either. After all, the company did only just begin repairing Joy-Con drift that has been present for months, so third-party mods are out of the question. Regardless, it is neat to see Android running on the system.
Source: Engadget