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Google to retire Chrome Apps

Martin Brinkmann
Aug 19, 2016
Google Chrome
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Google announced today that it will discontinue Chrome apps on all desktop operating system systems, but keep supporting them on Chrome OS.

Google Chrome supports web browser extensions and so-called Chrome apps. Google launched Chrome apps three years ago to deliver experiences the Web could not provide.

Chrome Apps for the most part started out as simple bookmarks that would bring users to web services. The apps evolved later on and some made use of functionality such as offline access or other features eventually.

Web standards evolved since the introduction of Chrome apps support in Chrome and Chrome OS, with web technologies becoming more powerful in the process.

Google to retire Chrome Apps

Google looked at Chrome apps, and how many users of Chrome on Windows, Mac and Linux were used packaged apps actively. According to Google, about 1% of desktop Chrome users make use of Chrome packaged apps.

Taking this and the improvements in web standards into account, the company made the decision to retire packaged and hosted apps from all desktop Chrome versions over the next two years.

Today, approximately 1% of users on Windows, Mac and Linux actively use Chrome packaged apps, and most hosted apps are already implemented as regular web apps. We will be removing support for packaged and hosted apps from Chrome on Windows, Mac, and Linux over the next two years

Chrome apps will remain supported on Chrome OS however for the "foreseeable future". Google did not go into details, and it is unclear for how long Chrome OS will keep on supporting these apps.

All types of Chrome apps will remain supported and maintained on Chrome OS for the foreseeable future. Additional enhancements to the Chrome apps platform will apply only to Chrome OS devices, including kiosks. Developers can continue to build Chrome apps (or Android apps) for Chrome OS.

The following schedule is used to retire Chrome apps for all desktop platforms:

  • Late 2016: New Chrome apps will only be available to users on Chrome OS. Existing Chrome apps remain accessible, and developers may continue to update them.
  • Second half of 2017: Chrome apps are not longer displayed when users open the Chrome Web Store on Windows, Mac or Linux versions of Chrome. Extensions and themes remain visible in the web store.
  • Early 2018: Users on Windows, Mac or Linux devices may no longer load Chrome apps.

Google encourages developers to migrate Chrome apps to the Web. The company suggests that developers who cannot migrate their apps to the web fully help Google prioritize new APIs to "fill the gaps left by Chrome apps".

Now You: Do you use Chrome apps actively?

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Google to retire Chrome Apps
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Google to retire Chrome Apps
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Google announced today that it will discontinue Chrome apps on all desktop operating system systems, but keep supporting them on Chrome OS.
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Comments

  1. kubrick said on January 24, 2017 at 12:59 am
    Reply

    The chrome web store is an absolute disgrace and doesnt seem to be vetted at all.Majority of extensions are packed to the rafters with ads and there is no hope in finding a new tab extension without some form of malicious redirect crap in it.
    Shocking and i cant see me ever using chrome again.

  2. Facebook said on August 20, 2016 at 6:18 pm
    Reply

    @Kkk: Because there’s millions of customers that gobble down anything. Muahahahahah…

  3. Timi said on August 20, 2016 at 6:12 pm
    Reply

    In the big picture,1% of users looks small,but evaluating how many google users are out there,1% is alot,well this is going to suck for chrome apps users,I was using Keep as an app!

  4. lol said on August 20, 2016 at 4:57 pm
    Reply

    now every google apps will have its own Electron apps! only 100mb per apps!

  5. Dave said on August 20, 2016 at 1:55 pm
    Reply

    Is there any reason a Chromium fork can’t support Chrome apps and even update the feature via the Chrome OS updates?

    1. Heimen Stoffels said on August 21, 2016 at 1:12 pm
      Reply

      You can’t install a different browser or core OS feature on ChromeOS so it can’t be distributed via the updates. A fork for other platforms could support Chrome apps but the apps are going to be removed from the Chrome Web Store next year so there’s no way to install them. Unless said fork creates an extensions website (or section, in case they already have an extensions website) with a Chrome apps section. But then devs need to migrate their apps from the Chrome Web Store to said new website.

  6. RPWheeler said on August 20, 2016 at 12:38 pm
    Reply

    I do not use actively neither Chrome, nor Chrome apps. I use Chrome for some web apps where Javascript performance matters a lot, but for apps I prefer something browser-independent, also I prefer to have browser one-click restart capability, which Chrome does not have.

    1. Heimen Stoffels said on August 21, 2016 at 1:09 pm
      Reply

      There’s Chrome extensions for one-click restart.

  7. Rott Weiller said on August 20, 2016 at 11:00 am
    Reply

    chrome apps = google os apps as far as i know, so think twice before buying a new chromebook as you may find yourself using chrome and chrome only because of retiring all apps :(

    ps. not using that idiotic laptops, and always removing the apps from chrome – so no problem on my side

  8. sartic said on August 20, 2016 at 8:12 am
    Reply

    so next step is kill google chrome for windows. Love it! ;)

  9. Koko said on August 20, 2016 at 7:56 am
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    No more ad block???? I’ll go to Mozilla…. Bye-bye chrome….

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on August 20, 2016 at 8:15 am
      Reply

      Apps are not extensions. Google won’t touch extensions.

  10. ithehappy said on August 20, 2016 at 5:37 am
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    Well, that have to be happened eventually. Google is well known for dropping support of google reader. That’s why I don’t rely too much in google ecosystem. I bet their new apps Allo and Duo will face the same fate!

  11. UnBloatBrowser said on August 20, 2016 at 2:07 am
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    Good….. It will lessen the bloat on the browser since its most likely only a small insignificant amount use it anyway.

  12. Nebulus said on August 20, 2016 at 1:50 am
    Reply

    I didn’t use Chrome Apps, but I know how it feels when something you use is retired and you have nothing to say or do about it…

  13. Mark Stahler said on August 20, 2016 at 1:19 am
    Reply

    I cant believe there are people that used this and even more so that people developed programs for this in the first place.

  14. Savior Jenkins said on August 20, 2016 at 1:02 am
    Reply

    This is more of a sign that Google is getting serious about killing Microsoft DOS with FusionOS, then an isolated spring cleaning. Windows needs to die. Specially as they are getting more aggressive with their shovelware. A lot of people don’t seem to have a choice between Windows and… nothing else. Alphabet, please save us, we are on your side.

  15. Kkk said on August 19, 2016 at 11:03 pm
    Reply

    Why, stupid ceo’s?

  16. Adam Devey said on August 19, 2016 at 11:00 pm
    Reply

    Not good! A day after the article about Google retiring products too!
    I use Reditr!

  17. Bobby Phoenix said on August 19, 2016 at 10:54 pm
    Reply

    This does suck. I use Calendar and Drive a lot daily. I guess I can switch to the website version, but it still sucks.

  18. GoogleCEO said on August 19, 2016 at 10:41 pm
    Reply

    Gullible Alphabet Users, Can’t You Realise ??

    Sent from Google HQ: alphabet.xyz

  19. Andy said on August 19, 2016 at 10:34 pm
    Reply

    Well this sucks. I love circ and use it several times a week.

    1. brandon said on August 25, 2016 at 12:02 am
      Reply

      afaik existing apps will continue to function as extensions

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