Android and ChromeOS. ChromeOS and Android. Has there ever been a extra enigmatic and question-creating couple within the mobile-tech universe?
From the get-go, Google's two main platforms have been the topic of infinite scorn and hypothesis. Of us who do not truly use a Chromebook and have not skilled ChromeOS since its earliest days have lengthy been satisfied that the platform serves no sensible function and is destined for demise. For ages, the favored narrative revolved across the notion that Google was gonna someway "merge" the 2 right into a single consolidated entity.
The true story, after all, turned out to be rather more nuanced. For years now, Google's been slowly however certainly bringing its two platforms collectively and aligning them to make 'em extra linked, constant, and appropriate. The purpose, it appears, is much less of a binary, one-or-the-other type of determination and extra of a best-of-both-worlds, dual-pronged path.
And now, it seems that street is about to take a noteworthy new flip — one that might significantly shake up a core a part of the person expertise on either side of the Android-ChromeOS equation.
All of it comes right down to apps and the way we uncover 'em. And if some current indicators on Android and ChromeOS alike are any indication, issues are about to get attention-grabbing.
The ChromeOS app problem
Our story begins on the ChromeOS facet of the mobile-tech divide. Within the land o' Chromebooks, for anybody paying consideration, the query has shifted over time from a snide "What are you able to even do on these issues?" to a much more intriguing "What cannot you do on 'em?"
To wit: Chromebooks at present supply a full-fledged desktop-caliber internet looking surroundings. They allow you to set up progressive internet apps, Android apps, Linux apps, and even Home windows apps, in case you actually need to get wild. You should utilize 'em as laptops, tablets, or something in between. ChromeOS could have began out being about sheer simplicity as a defining function, however it's very a lot executed a 180 and reworked itself into the "all the things" platform.
In follow, that is confirmed to be each a blessing and a curse. Chromebooks at present are extremely succesful, as anybody who truly makes use of 'em can let you know, they usually supply loads of engaging benefits over extra conventional desktop setups. However on the similar time, all these potentialities have made it nearly inconceivable to know the place to start and what kind of app to hunt out for what function.
For one instance, in case you wished to make use of the duty administration app Todoist on a Chromebook, you could possibly:
- Open the Todoist web site (or create a shortcut to that web site in your desktop)
- Set up the Todoist progressive internet app from the Todoist web site
- Set up the Todoist Android app from the Google Play Retailer
- Set up the Todoist Chrome extension from the Chrome Net Retailer
- Set up the Todoist Linux app from the Linux Snap Retailer
- Set up the Todoist Home windows app from the Todoist web site (supplied you have bought a company-connected Chromebook with Home windows entry obtainable)
Head spinning but? Mine certain is. It is a ridiculous labyrinth for normal customers to sort out, and even of us who won't explicitly notice all these choices exist usually discover themselves dealing with vexing limitations after they set up an app kind that is not completely optimum for his or her supposed function.
Two years in the past, I first reported on clues that exposed a slowly shaping-up technique for fixing this flaw — what I referred to on the time as Google's "grand ChromeOS plan." The concept was virtually painfully easy: Google would place the Play Retailer as not only a place for Android apps, because it's historically been, however as a broader one-stop store for a number of varieties of apps on Chromebooks — with the shop itself figuring out which app kind makes essentially the most sense for any given function after which robotically putting in the suitable possibility for you.
We noticed early indicators of that plan popping up on Chromebooks round that point, and Google later confirmed to me in an interview that it was certainly engaged on such an effort. The purpose, two ChromeOS execs informed me, was to show the Play Retailer into an all-purpose discovery instrument the place Chromebook house owners may discover no matter apps they wanted — together with even Linux apps, in sure circumstances — with out having to consider the underlying expertise.
Many months have handed since that unassuming begin. However this summer season, we're seeing some tantalizing indicators of progress that might propel the plan ahead and lay the groundwork for a way more intuitive app-discovering expertise on ChromeOS — and, the large twist: additionally on Android.
The Android-ChromeOS app connection
So right here it's: You would be forgiven for failing to note, however within the ChromeOS 104 replace that rolled out earlier this month, Google quietly added within the means to seek out apps within the Play Retailer just by looking in your Chromebook's launcher — the freshly redesigned window that pops up once you faucet your Chromebook's All the things button (also referred to as the Search or Launcher key).
One faucet, and growth: Yow will discover after which set up any app you want proper there within the precise working system, with out having to determine which supply is suitable after which open up and search by means of that particular storefront.
JREasy. Streamlined. Consolidated. It is such a wise change, the one baffling factor is why it is taken this lengthy for it to occur.
To make sure, the work right here is much from completed. The Play Retailer itself nonetheless wants to really help and floor all these completely different app sorts intelligently, in a manner that is smart for the Chromebook surroundings. (As of now, that occurs solely with a really restricted set of particular applications.) However now, a minimum of, the inspiration is coming into focus — and the concept of ChromeOS itself turning into the app discovery mechanism and eliminating the necessity to work together with any particular app retailer is beginning to take form.
Now for the actually intriguing half: In Android 13 on its self-made Pixel telephones, Google is additionally now experimenting with surfacing app outcomes from the Play Retailer as a part of the first house display screen search system — as soon as once more from proper inside the precise working system. It is the identical primary idea, in different phrases, solely translated into Android phrases. And it, too, has the potential to result in a good broader rethinking of what the Play Retailer represents and what an "Android app" even is.
After I first wrote about Google's grand ChromeOS plan, I ended with a little bit of an speculative "what if?"-style situation. Go, go, Gadget Quoting Machine:
Take into account this: Google's been experimenting with the concept of progressive internet apps on Android for some time now. The corporate already makes it potential for builders to embed such applications inside conventional Android app buildings after which put these into the Play Retailer. How far of a leap wouldn't it be to begin providing up standalone progressive internet apps straight in place of Android apps for telephones, too, in circumstances the place that'd be optimum?
I will let you know this: I've some standalone progressive internet apps by myself cellphone, and ... they're surprisingly nice to make use of — in a manner that nearly makes you neglect you are not utilizing an everyday, native Android app. Simply sayin'.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
As soon as once more, fascinating issues are taking place on the intersection of Google's two main platforms. And now, the inspiration is flowing freely in each instructions — from Android to ChromeOS and from ChromeOS again to Android.
The one actual query is how lengthy it will take for this newest piece of the puzzle to fall into place — and the way lengthy it will take for the Android- and Chromebook-carrying plenty to adapt to a complete new mind-set about apps.
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