Over 100 million people have downloaded this app that allows you to run Snapchat and 'Candy Crush' on a PC

Over 100 million people have downloaded an app that allows them to run Android applications on their Windows PC or Mac.

The BlueStacks App Player, built by San Francisco startup BlueStacks, gives people access to thousands of apps that aren't typically available on desktop.

The milestone was announced in a company blog post today, where the company also revealed a new version of its app, "BlueStacks 2".

Apps run within BlueStacks on your PC or Mac, and can even be scaled up to full screen.

Even though Android apps require touch controls to work, BlueStacks says that you can use about 85% of them just as easily with a keyboard and mouse. The obvious exceptions are apps that require smartphone-only functions like accelerometers and a GPS.

BlueStacks has proved particularly popular with gamers looking to play mobile gaming apps like "Candy Crush" and "Angry Birds" through their computer. The company claims that mobile gamers are more willing to spend significantly more through in-app game purchases when they're playing through their PC.

"As our product and platform has matured, it has attracted a new genre of gamers," said BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. "Hardcore PC gamers we find are also into playing midcore mobile games. These users spend a lot of money, which has attracted app developers to our platform in droves. On the other end of the spectrum, apps like messaging and eCommerce also tend to get heavy usage and attract high-value users. The platform has been a boon for advertisers."

Coinciding with the milestone, BlueStacks also announced that it has updated the app player with a number of new features. The new "BlueStacks 2" release, available from today includes multi-tasking and a new section that shows users the most popular apps that are used oved its platform.

"While there is risk associated with releasing so many features at one time, we couldn't wait to roll these out to all of our devoted users," the company wrote in a blog post.

BlueStacks is looking to make money with an enterprise version of its app, which costs $24 (£16) per user per year and offers faster gameplay, premium support, and early access to new releases.

The company has been backed by Andreessen-Horowitz, Samsung, Redpoint, Qualcomm, Intel, Ignition, Partners, Radar Partners, Presidio Ventures (a Sumitomo Corporation Company), Citrix, AMD, and Helion Ventures.

"I've watched this company come up as Android has come up over the years," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst and president of Creative Strategies. "Both have exceeded almost everyone's expectations."