Android apps on Chrome OS
Popular Android apps like the short video-sharing tool Vine and the note-taking platform Evernote are now compatible with Google’s Chrome OS.
Those apps, alongside language app Duolingo and kids’ reading app Sight Words are available to download from the Chrome Web Store today.
That means the apps can be installed on Chromebook laptops and operated via a physical keyboard and mouse/trackpad rather than a touchscreen.
The convergence of Android apps on Chrome has been in the works since Google I/O in June and the company is in discussions with developers in order to bring more big hitters into play.
Eventually the firm hopes it’ll take very little effort for devs to port their software over to the cloud-based computing platform.
"Chromebooks were designed to keep up with you on the go—they’re thin and light, have long battery lives, resume instantly, and are easy to use. Today, we're making Chromebooks even more mobile by bringing the first set of Android apps to Chrome OS," the company wrote on the Chrome blog.
Over the coming months, we’ll be working with a select group of Android developers to add more of your favorite apps so you’ll have a more seamless experience across your Android phone and Chromebook.
“In the meantime, please tell us which of your favourite Android apps you’d like to see on your Chromebook.”
The ramifications of this initiative could be huge for the Chrome OS as Google seeks to gain traction on Windows 8 and Mac OS X.
Both rival platforms cons of which are enjoying more mobile-style apps with greater synchronicity with their smartphone and tablet equivalents.
Imagine a Chrome Web Store packed with the best games and apps from the Google Play Store? The future is definitely looking bright for the Chrome OS.
Read more: HP Chromebook 14 review