All major desktop virtualization platforms support access from modern browsers, so using a browser or a Chromebook to access remote desktops and apps isn’t the big deal it once was.
These apps don’t run natively, but rather are remote Windows apps, with the Chromebook acting as a thin client. Windows apps are actually accessible on Chrome OS.
One word of caution: users might need a decently spec’d out Chromebook for some Android apps to provide a decent experience, if the comments from this recent article around the staleness of Chrome OS are anything to go by. These you just download from the Google Play Store and you’re good to go. While Android apps are notoriously finicky and less stable on Chrome OS, they are another option for users. Using an extension also limits the functionality to just Chromium-based browsers. The downside to this is that it does require each and every user download the necessary extension, and given the risky nature of Chrome extensions, not all users might want to do this.
Chrome’s extension API allows web pages to go beyond what a normal web app can do for example, maybe developers need an extension to pull OAuth2 access tokens, make changes to web page content, or even override the system’s power management features. Extensions and extension-enhanced web pagesĪnother option developers have is that they can convert their Chrome apps into extension-enhanced web pages.
Thanks to service workers, some PWA can even offer offline usability. I looked at PWA back in 2018 and it’s easiest to think of them like visiting a website from an address bar-less browser window, with a desktop shortcut to further emulate the app experience. These apps are what I’d consider the evolution of Chrome apps as they act similarly and are actually Google’s top suggestion for developers looking to pivot from Chrome apps. So, the first option available to Chrome OS users is the one most people will likely already be familiar with: an HTML5 web application, provided you have a consistent internet connection. We knew that support for the first three OSes was eventually going away, even as it got pushed back a couple times, but not that Chrome apps would be dropped entirely. Google explained that support on Windows, Mac, and Linux devices ends this December, while support ends on Chrome OS in June 2022. “ The progress of modern browsers puts the Web in a good position to answer the vast majority of use cases… We are confident that the Web can deliver first class experiences on an open platform.”
Some Chrome apps worked offline and boasted additional features like being able to use the device’s USB or Bluetooth and even access some user files saved on the device.Ĭhrome apps first came on the scene in 2013, but since then modern apps and browsers have progressed, and Google is ready to shut it down. What made Chrome apps special is that they could go beyond what a pure web app could do. The apps are accessed through a separate Chrome browser window on any OS that runs Chrome, including desktop and mobile devices. Chrome appsĪ Chrome app is similar to the web-based apps we know today, using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript to provide an app-like experience.