Google puts first Android apps for Chrome OS online

Google has released the first apps that were originally developed for Android, but now also run on Chrome OS. The capability is a result of the App Runtime for Chrome, which Google released as beta.

The affected Android apps that will be the first to run on Chrome OS are the language app Duolingo, note-taking app Evernote, the children’s reading app Sight Words, and Vine, for creating short videos in a loop. Google is partnering with a select group of Android developers to bring more Android apps to Chrome OS, focusing on the most popular apps. Google asks for feedback from users which apps they prefer to see on the operating system.

Google announced the arrival of Android apps to Chrome OS at its Google I/O event in June. The expansion with Android apps should make systems with the operating system such as Chromebooks more popular. Google also wants Chromebooks to work better with smartphones and tablets that run Android. For example, Chromebook users can unlock their laptop when their mobile device is near the laptop and notifications on mobile devices can appear on Chromebooks.