Android Apps on Chrome OS – Start the landing

At the conference Google I/O 2014 held at the end of June this year, among the many innovations introduced by Google, there was also supported for Android applications on Chrome OS, a very important step for the ecosystem of Mountain View, although still far a true fusion technique between the two operating systems. It was an ad with demonstration, which went into service was delayed a few months later. For the team led by Sundar Pichai, the opportune moment has arrived today.

It starts with 4 applications, not a large number, but is not names weight. Evernote and Vine certainly did not need any introduction; which is supported Duolingo, app will help with the learning of languages, and Sight Words, designed to improve the reading skills of children. The technical merit goes to the new Chrome App Runtime, which essentially encloses the main components of Android to allow the execution of software dedicated to it. The performances are close to the native and significantly cut development times for both developers and for Google itself.

There is no need for a specific porting Chrome OS, the only action to take is to ” package ” as existing for publication in the Chrome Web Store. The result you can see in the above image, with the app run in window, well can also be used with traditional means of input. It will still be left to the individual developer the opportunity to make further optimizations ad-hoc experience of use of Chromebook and Chromebox in particular to take advantage of the hardware characteristics that distinguish them from most mobile devices.

The new apps are already available on the Chrome Web Store; installing them useless groped through the Chrome browser on Mac or Windows PC, as it is specifically requested the complete operating system, at least at the current state. For those who have a computer with Chrome OS will provide the opportunity to try to secure one of the most interesting developments of the project, which will extend to all the Android apps but to a select group.

We can count on that here in a year that group will be sufficiently large to make Chrome OS a much more independent of the continuing need for free online, and especially by the presence of another computer as a main, with the ultimate goal of addressing Windows in its market historical weapons more or less equal at least within the home. The road has just been embarked upon.