Android
apps arrived on
Chromebooks with Chrome OS 53 in June, but as we noted during our initial hands-on, the developer channel was still quite buggy and
not recommended for use as a daily driver. While the Play Store is still
limited to three Chromebooks, version 53 has entered the beta
channel with some much needed stability.
After Chrome OS has
updated, the Play Store will immediately launch and ask users to agree to terms
and conditions. Users will be asked to sign into the Google Account they’d
like to use the Play Store with. Most apps, including those from third-party
developers, perform just fine, but all are still prone to occasional crashes
and lag.
I noticed a few bugs,
but the browser part of Chrome OS feels more stable. Android apps and the
Play Store are still only available on the Acer R11, Asus Flip, and 2015
Chromebook Pixel. To be on the safe side, I would still caution those who
use their Chromebook for daily work to avoid Android apps until the final
stable version, expected later this year.
Other changes coming
as part of Chrome OS 53 include a new Material overview mode that places
windows in cards and provides better labeling. Additionally, the search
functionality is more visible, as is the ability to use the arrow keys to
navigate around windows. Other changes include a new, more detailed storage
manager in Settings.
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