Google's Chromebook Pixel 2 will be able to download and run Android apps soon (Photo : YouTube / Marques Brownlee)
Google has dropped one of its biggest news during the I/O developer conference. The millions of Android apps in the Play Store will finally be compatible with their Chromebooks running Chrome OS.
Chromebooks have been limited to supported apps that can be found on the Windows Store. Later this year, Google will be opening the doors for the Android apps to be downloaded on the laptops.
This means that users will finally be able to download that one game they really like. They can also download the several popular messaging apps on the Play Store such as Facebook's Messenger, Hangouts, Viber, Whatsapp and more.
Google announced the good news during the second day of their I/O developer conference in Silicon Valley, The Verge reported. Users now have more incentives to use a Chromebook instead of just using it as a netbook.
Some are concerned that the apps could run slow in low-end Chromebook models. However, Chrome OS senior director of product management Kan Liu said that all of the Android apps will run well on any Chromebook available regardless of the specs.
Developers will have to use a Chromebook Pixel, an Acer Chromebook R 11 and an ASUS Chromebook Flip if they want to test their apps for the laptop. Google will then be updating a list of Google Play-supported Chromebooks as a guide for everyone, PC Advisor reported.
Other Chrome OS devices will also be supported by Google Play Store later on. The search engine giant also said that the Android version that will be baked into the supported Chrome OS would be Android 7.0 N.
The apps would run better on Chromebooks with higher-end specs. However, users should note that most Android apps are developed with low-end smartphones in mind.
This means that even the low-end Chromebook models will be able to handle the apps because they would obviously be more powerful than most low-end smartphones. The 3D graphic mobile games could be another case, however.
Google will be making the developer kit for Chrome OS Android apps available in June. Users will be able to use the Play Store for their Chromebooks by fall if everything goes as planned.
