Canonical, the makers of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution, have announced the release of Anbox Cloud, a “scalable android in the cloud” platform, according to a press release.

Anbox Cloud will enable “enterprises and service providers to deliver mobile applications at scale, more securely and independently of a device’s capabilities. Use cases for Anbox Cloud include cloud gaming, enterprise workplace applications, software testing, and mobile device virtualisation.”

In combination with fast 5G access, the platform will also allow energy, storage and compute-intensive tasks to be offloaded from individual devices and run via the cloud. This will make it possible to level the performance playing field between high-end premium devices and budget or mid-range ones.

“Driven by emerging 5G networks and edge computing, millions of users will benefit from access to ultra-rich, on-demand Android applications on a platform of their choice,” said Stephan Fabel, Director of Product at Canonical. “Enterprises are now empowered to deliver high performance, high density computing to any device remotely, with reduced power consumption and in an economical manner.”

The cloud platform will also provide a way for developers to streamline their application development process, emulating the countless devices and Android combinations available. Device and operating system fragmentation has long been a challenging aspect of Android development, especially when compared to iOS.

Anbox Cloud is just the latest example of the innovations that can be achieved as 5G rollouts continue and the wireless technology becomes mainstream.