Chrome OS has come up with a new feature to deliver a seamless experience of combining traditional web browser experience with Progressive web apps, Linux Apps, and Android apps.
After announcing that Android and Linux applications will be supportable on Chrome OS and users will be able to run them anytime, Chrome OS has now introduced an option to install an Android mobile application over a Web application.
That means, now when a user will browse a website that can be installed on Chrome OS, they will find a small icon on their Omnibox. And from there, the operating system will check for an Android alternative of the application. If available, it will redirect to Play Store and encourage users to install the Android application.
But, in case the related application is not available on the store or if your Chromebook is not compatible with the app, PWA (Progressive web app) version of it will get installed on the device.
This implies that the user will not get a  choice to prioritize web app over its Android version for they will be offered with an Android mobility solution first.
On one side, the users will now get an ‘Android-on-Chromebook’ experience that is much closer to that of a native Android app, on the other,  businesses and mobile app developers will get more willing to invest in android app development and relish its benefits.
In other words, Android app developers will not just be able to develop and test their Android app on Chrome OS without going in the developer mode,But, they will be able to showcase the Android version of their applications over the web ones. Thus, bring in more traffic on their native mobile applications. And, in this way, get an opportunity to extend the presence of their native app beyond Play Store.
However, to take benefit of this new feature, developers will have to mark their sites as Chrome-specific apps.
Also, they will have to specify the app details in the browser while developing a Progressive Web App. Along with this, they will also be required to describe the Android version of their application under the ‘related applications’ field. And, they will be asked to share whether they want to offer both Android and web app options to their users.
This option is currently available only on the Chromium code. But, it might arrive on Chrome OS 77 soon – giving the Android market stakeholders a hope that the Chromebook experience will soon get revamped.
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