Microsoft postponed, and may even cancel, the launch of a tool that would allow Android apps to run on Windows 10 devices, according to reports.

Project Astoria, first revealed in April, “is not ready yet”, Microsoft told Re/code.

However, the computing giant said it is “committed to offering developers many options to bring their apps to the Windows Platform”, and is continuing to work on similar tools for web and iOS developers as well as promoting tools for native development.

Project Astoria was a risk because it could mean developers would bring their apps to Windows without customising for the platform or making any commitment to the Windows, the report said.

With many developers still targeting iOS as their primary platform, offering tools to bring these apps to Windows means that Microsoft has not completely closed the door to those who may consider Windows further down the line.

The challenge for Microsoft remains Windows’ small share of the phone market.

Windows 10 could change that, since developers have the advantage of writing one app that can run on several Windows-based devices, including phones, tablets, PCs and the Xbox game console.

The company wants Windows 10 on a billion devices within three years of release.

In an interview last month, an executive VP for Windows and Devices said “we are just very focused… Let’s get that developer engagement naturally through users and innovation.”

Last week, a survey revealed that developer tools from Apple and Microsoft significantly outperformed those from Google for Android.