To install and use Android applications on other platforms or operating systems is really exciting, considering the large number of applications available for Android (leave aside here the Firefox OS applications that can also be installed on Android ). Google has very clear and it is for this reason that today has taken its first major step in this direction by offering the possibility to install Android applications on a Chromebook (yes, those "PC" that come with the operating system "Chrome OS ").
As a user, the advantage of this is that I have to do anything to install an Android application on my ChromeBook: I just go to the store Chrome Web Store and install from there Android application I want. In other words, the application is installed like any other application for Chrome OS.
For now not all applications exist for Android are available in the Chrome Web Store for Chrome OS; are only 4 applications that are available to download and install, in fact: Duolingo, Evernote, Sight Words and Vine. Everything is a matter of searching from your Chromebook one of these names in the Chrome Web Store to download and install.
Google has said that more Android apps come to Chrome OS, as a result of their work together with developers. In this regard, the company says that developers do not have to modify their code or APKs Android
applications that can be used in Chrome OS (" Portability not required "), but the developers certainly want to tweak some things in their applications to offer appropriate experience in computers with Chrome OS having a form factor and different handling (keyboard, touchpad, etc.).
Technically, App Runtime for Chrome is the name of the project that has made this possible installation of Android applications on Chrome OS. Basically, it is a "container" built into Chrome OS to run "in there" Android applications. App Runtime for Chrome runs, in turn, within the technology Native Client for Chrome OS (which also exists in Chrome) that is actually what allows all this magic.
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| Evernote application running on Android (left) and on a Chromebook with Chrome OS (right) |
For now not all applications exist for Android are available in the Chrome Web Store for Chrome OS; are only 4 applications that are available to download and install, in fact: Duolingo, Evernote, Sight Words and Vine. Everything is a matter of searching from your Chromebook one of these names in the Chrome Web Store to download and install.
Google has said that more Android apps come to Chrome OS, as a result of their work together with developers. In this regard, the company says that developers do not have to modify their code or APKs Android
applications that can be used in Chrome OS (" Portability not required "), but the developers certainly want to tweak some things in their applications to offer appropriate experience in computers with Chrome OS having a form factor and different handling (keyboard, touchpad, etc.).
Install Android applications on Google Chrome, the browser?
The answer is no, at least for now. Chrome OS does not compare or say it is something similar or like Google Chrome (the browser)-that would be an outrage, in fact, beyond having a similar name, or even share the same application store. Chrome OS is an operating system for computers and so far, only that's where this "trick" to run or run Android apps work. Google Chrome is just a web browser; perhaps future Google can give the possibility to install Android apps in this browser, but for now this is not possible. The proof is other but, for example, if you try to install the app for Chrome OS Duolingo in Google Chrome, the button to install says " NOT SUPPORTED ".Technically, App Runtime for Chrome is the name of the project that has made this possible installation of Android applications on Chrome OS. Basically, it is a "container" built into Chrome OS to run "in there" Android applications. App Runtime for Chrome runs, in turn, within the technology Native Client for Chrome OS (which also exists in Chrome) that is actually what allows all this magic.