The fusion of Android and Chrome OS has started – Computerworld.nl

Analysis – It’s Google managed to run on Chrome OS the first Android apps natively. An interesting development for the future of the Chromebook. But certainly to the user.

The first four Android apps are fully compatible on a Chromebook. Google is working behind the scenes – possibly far-reaching – the synergy between its two mobile platforms. The company begins gently, with a selective group of app developers who are allowed to do with it, but it may not be long before the beta of App Runtime for Chrome will drop

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For although Google door fully opens for all Android developers, it is an important step. For both the future of the Chromebook and Chrome OS. Consists loose OS over a number of years still? App Runtime for Chrome (ARC) is anyway groundbreaking within Google. The company demonstrated last June a first glimpse at the developer conference Google I / O. Then it came to the ambition, now it is reality.

Comment on Microsoft

The timing is no coincidence, says Steve Brazier, president and CEO of research firm Canalys. “Google has the beginning of 2014 made much progress with Chromebooks, which were a great success especially with American students. But Microsoft has since aggressively responded with” Windows Bing ‘which took the prices of consumer laptops to the level of the Chromebook. ”

He sees the first steps of the merger as a direct response to rival Microsoft. Brazier: “Google should Chromebooks distinct from Windows PCs, so they can offer a PC does not have Windows That answer comes in the form of Android apps user functionality..”

Rewriting not necessary

But how does it work? The code of the app running on top of the Chrome platform and more specifically within the Native Client SDK, explains Google from Ars Technica. In this way, the ARC apps to run in the same environment as other apps that you download from the Chrome Web Store. Even when they are written. Above the standard APIs

For developers porting or completely rewrite their code does not necessarily need. All allowed, of course, for example, work with a Chromebook. Their application better As Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai, meanwhile responsibility Android, Chrome and Google Apps, Google I / O applications can make use of as keyboard, mouse and an optional touchscreen. Pointed to

The access to the underlying device APIs makes an Android app as Vine can use the camera and microphone of a Chromebook practicing. Google has such a full Android stack in Chrome OS built (both based on Linux) using Native Client.

Few apps yet

The Android apps on a Chromebook appear just Chome-like other apps in the launcher. Also you can download them from the Chrome Web Store. There you will still find few Android apps. “At the moment the focus on testing with a small group of developers, but developers who are interested can register online is” let Google know Netherlands to Computerworld.

To do this, Google has created a special page. There, not only developers but also users specify which Android app they want to use the Chrome OS. Google takes this feedback with it, but has not yet decided to buy all possible Android Apps to porting.

developers

User benefits

It nevertheless are the users who benefit, says Canalys analyst Tim Coulling, specializing in mobile cloud devices. “This enhances the functionality of Chromebooks in an offline scenario. There are few apps that work then.’s Android apps provide a broader appeal. Example to exchange for a Chromebook. A Windows PC”

More apps will soon follow according Coulling. “That should be no problem. Android developers are already accustomed to build. Various smartphones and screen sizes a new form factor as the Chromebook could still come around. I expect that many apps quickly recover, especially in the field productivity and communication. “

Chrome OS redundant?

Should that actually happen is that essentially the death knell for the Chrome OS. The operating system has often been declared dead in the past. Including by Paul Buchheit, the man behind the AdSense code and former lead developer of Gmail, which Chome OS of years ago called redundant because according to him “ChromeOS has no purpose that is not better served by Android.”

But CEO Eric Schmidt told the end of 2009 all that Android and Chrome OS are closely related to each other and in time may come or go together. best closer together A statement which was later toned down when the differences correctly emphasized by Google. But those differences fade.