Google will allows Chrome apps to live on a little while longer
Chrome developers should switch to PWAs if they haven’t already, advises Google
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Googlehas further postponed the retirement ofChromeapps, which are already onextended life support.
Chrome apps, not to be confused withChrome browser extensions, were Google’s idea of delivering browser-based apps that installed inside Chrome and looked and functioned like regular desktop apps.
Chrome apps never took off thanks to the evolution of web standards and platforms such asprogressive web apps (PWA), which rendered Chrome apps obsolete.
However, Chrome apps seem to have found their stride withChrome OS’Enterprise and Education customers, because of whom Google has been forced to delay the retirement process for several more years.
“Based on feedback from our Enterprise and Education customers and partners, we have made the decision to extend Chrome app support for those users on Chrome OS until at least January 2025,”notes Google.
Prolonging the inevitable
Googlefirst announcedits decision to terminate Chrome apps forWindows,LinuxandmacOSback in 2016. Back then it admitted that the combined user base of Chrome apps on these platforms was about 1%.
Since then, the evolution of web standards and development of powerful new and open APIs have enabled developers to build robust PWAs that work seamlessly across platforms andbrowsers, validating Google’s decision to pull the plug on Chrome apps.
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Even as it extends the timeline for select customers to run Chrome apps on Chrome OS, Google asserts that PWAs are the way of the future.
“There is a growing ecosystem of powerful desktop web apps & PWAs, from advanced graphics products likeAdobe Sparkto engaging media apps likeYouTube TVto productivity andcollaboration appslikeZoom,” said Google, further encouraging Chrome app developers to migrate to PWAs “as soon as possible.”
With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’sTechRadar Pro’sexpert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.
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