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In March, Google was noticed engaged on a presumed one-stop store for apps and video games on Chromebooks. Known as App Mall, the software is now out there for preview on ChromeOS Canary. If all the things goes based on plan, it might roll out to customers broadly within the coming months.
Google opens up ChromeOS App Mall for preview
Finest Chromebooks supply glorious versatility on the subject of the app ecosystem. These units can run PWAs (Progressive Net Apps), Android apps, and Linux apps. Nevertheless, there isn’t a single app retailer the place you’ll find all suitable apps in your Chromebook. This makes it tough to decide on the proper of app, whether or not to get an Android app or its PWA model.
Google goals to repair this with App Mall. It will likely be a centralized location for locating new apps and video games on Chromebooks. This much-needed software has been in growth for just a few months and we now see it in motion, a minimum of an early model of it. Noticed by Chrome Unboxed, App Mall is obtainable in the Canary Channel of ChromeOS 126. It may be enabled with the chrome://flags/#cros-mall flag.
Upon enabling this flag, your Chromebook will pin the App Mall icon to your shelf and app launcher. Opening it takes you to an app retailer the place you’ll find every kind of apps in your ChromeOS gadget. The left panel has buttons for Search, Residence, Apps, and Video games, in addition to a shortcut to the Google Play Retailer. The app listings function a full description and screenshots.
You possibly can choose the app you need to obtain, decide a supply retailer, and set up it in your Chromebook. For some apps, the Play Retailer is the one choice. For others, Google lets you choose between the Play Retailer and the net. If you choose the net model, a pop-up menu exhibits up with an “Set up” button. It’s good to see Google give PWAs a correct set up course of like common Android apps.
You possibly can attempt the brand new ChromeOS app retailer on any gadget
In case you have a Chromebook operating the aforementioned model of ChromeOS Canary, you possibly can allow the stated flag to entry App Mall early. Nevertheless, for those who don’t have a suitable gadget, you possibly can nonetheless attempt it. Google has constructed it as a conventional net app, so you possibly can attempt it on any gadget. We’ll let when the corporate begins a public rollout of App Mall.