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Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

chrome.googleblog.com

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Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#3

Post by Nowyouknow »

magnumkarter wrote: post #2

This is great!!! I wonder if it will be possible to install the Play Store in Chromium OS. I know that Chromium has some support for installing Android .apk files.

Also would love to know if this works. This might eliminate my desire to buy the Android Pixel C device. On the flip side, if this is limited to Chromebooks, this might increase the desire to buy the Chromebook Pixel.

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#5

Post by ojn »

magnumkarter wrote: post #2

This is great!!! I wonder if it will be possible to install the Play Store in Chromium OS. I know that Chromium has some support for installing Android .apk files.

You're thinking of the previous ARC solution that used NaCl and Arc Welder to convert apks.

In this case, the Android container contents is not opensourced. They might or might not be down the road, it hasn't been decided on yet.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/05/the-play-store-comes-... has a bit more info on that.

Same with a few of the pieces in Chrome OS that are needed; not all of them are open at this time but might be down the road.

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#6

Post by sharms »

This is a big move and will majorly impact desktop / laptop computing. Now the entire ecosystem of Android apps (even Microsoft Office, Snapchat, Photoshop Express) is going to be available, and arguably this platform is much more complete than say, Universal Apps (Microsoft)

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#7

Post by pgrote »

While this is a great step forward, I am disappointed in the list of chromebooks supported.

I looked over the list and cannot find a common thread as to what is supported and what isn't. Does anyone know?

My Acer C720 with an i3 isn't on the list, but my Toshiba Chromebook 2 with lesser specs is on the list.

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#8

Post by hendersoon »

TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #4

Coming soon: Chrome OS made into merely an alternative Android home screen, and Chromebooks becoming “Droidbooks”.

Don't see why not. ChromeOS is a perfectly fine windowed UI, which is exactly what Android needs on convertible and laptop form factors.

Chrome becomes one app that runs on ChromeOS, and all the android apps are first-class citizens too.

Sounds great to me.

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#9

Post by sunnyps »

pgrote wrote: post #7

While this is a great step forward, I am disappointed in the list of chromebooks supported. I looked over the list and cannot find a common thread as to what is supported and what isn't. Does anyone know? My Acer C720 with an i3 isn't on the list, but my Toshiba Chromebook 2 with lesser specs is on the list.

Three Chromebooks are supported initially including the Pixel 2015. Other Chromebooks will be supported later this year. Source: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/6401474

Re: Play Store and Android Apps Coming to Chromebooks

#10

Post by NetStrikeForce »

sharms wrote: post #6

This is a big move and will majorly impact desktop / laptop computing. Now the entire ecosystem of Android apps (even Microsoft Office, Snapchat, Photoshop Express) is going to be available, and arguably this platform is much more complete than say, Universal Apps (Microsoft)

It is more complete than universal apps, but still minimal compared to the Windows ecosystem.
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