Many of these systems will continue to get regular Chrome OS updates for some time yet, since Google’s Chrome OS End of Life policy guarantees updates for at least five years from a device’s release date. Users are already able to run some of the Android apps on Chrome OS, but now Google is bringing all the 1.5 million Android apps to the Chromebooks. The system updater has acquired its own update and is now capable of installing new Android versions in the background.
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“Not only are we addressing numerous existing needs and use cases that people have for their Chromebooks, we are also betting on the millions of developers who are innovating every day to build the next great experience that wasn’t even possible on PC platforms before”.
Starting in “early June”, Android apps will only be available for a few select devices, including the Asus Chromebook Flip, the Chromebook Pixel (2015) and the Acer Chromebook R11. You’ll be able to make a Skype call, work with Office files, be productive offline, and play games like Minecraft or Hearthstone.
While Chromebooks have been celebrated for their efficiency, price and speed, the lack of apps have inhibited by the lack of apps. Microsoft is trying a similar approach with Windows 10, allowing developers to build Universal Windows apps that run on computers, tablets, and smartphones.
At I/O 2016, Google confirmed that in-app payment APIs will eventually be accessible to everyone, allowing developers to easily bake Android Pay into their apps.
Several weeks after it first leaked, Google has announced that its Play Store is indeed coming to Chromebooks.
According to developer documentation provided by Google, the Nexus 6P running the latest version of the Android N Developer Preview (3 or higher) is the place where developers will get started making apps with the Daydream SDK.
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Google hasn’t been too specific, but its support site said Chromebooks will gain access to Google Play “later” this year. Liliputing checked though the supported hardware list and noted that the devices which will support the Play Store are mainly those that were launched in 2014 or later.
