First of all, this was announced more than 3 years ago, and it still won't happen for another 2.5 years.
Second of all, this should be treated as good news for the HN crowd: Google is transitioning from a proprietary, Chrome-only app model to the open-standard, PWA model. Who doesn't support that?
There are a bunch of "typical Google cancelling a product" comments here. But for real, I simply cannot imagine any Chrome app which people actually use, whose developer is not going to transition to PWA and gain a bigger market.
Seriously, this is like complaining that Microsoft Edge doesn't support ActiveX controls. (And I certainly don't recall any complaints about that here.)
This is good news, people. Less fragmentation and more open standards.
I agree that this was a terrible idea from day one and am glad it has been killed and will soon be buried.
But this: "typical Google cancelling a product" is still an important message.
Google routinely floats out APIs, services, and platforms and encourages their use despite fatal flaws that mean they are doomed from day one. And some developers fall for it and later have to pay the price. Hopefully, the repeated warning will minimize this. Think of the devs right now that are mistaking Flutter for a platform that will last.
A chrome app that people use? There’s a lot of hobby flight controllers which are/were programmed using a Chrome app. There was no alternative. And since most web apps can’t get access to the host USB (webUSB seems to exist, but still seems pretty nascent), that whole system is probably going to have to find a new app deployment method.
As a person who uses the Hangouts chrome app daily, I have been expecting a day when I go to launch it and it wont open for the last 3 years. Google doesn't want to support "Classic Hangouts" anymore (and supposedly they killed it in October for GSuite, but not for my domain, I guess). Hangouts is one of the only ways I privately communicate with old friends and past co-workers since EVERYONE has at least one gmail account.
And trying to get 20 people to switch to something else is a complete non-starter.
>> This is good news, people. Less fragmentation and more open standards.
reply
Actually is bad news. PWAs are pretty useless and when I say useless I mean no better than a website. All the web restrictions(i.e cors) apply to PWAs. It's just a "webpage shortcut". The alternative to Chrome apps are really Electron apps not PWAs.
Off the top of my head, these were the Chrome apps I used:
* VideoStream (allowed casting to Chromecast from filesystem)
* PostMan
* Internal tools at previous job that used MDNS
None of these applications work as a PWA. All of these moved to Electron instead. Which is heavier and just as non-standard and dependent on Chromium as Chrome Apps.
Anyone know the status of being able to install PWAs on the desktop?
The reason I use chrome apps is to have "Gmail" as an application on my desktop so I can alt-tab to it, put it on my dock, etc and treat it as a normal app instead of a tab.
The problem is the Google Brand approach of replacing a used consumer product with a backwards incompatible replacement and forcing the expense/risk of a port onto the end-user as if they have the same resources as Google does.
There will be a lot of cases where this approach is reasonable. But because Google has built a strong reputation of constantly doing it, each event will be a new outrage causing more and more churn. You reap what you sow and all that.
people supporting enterprise. enterprise software is bad to begin with and often has long shelf lives. ActiveX, old java, flash et al are all still flourishing at a large corp near you
As often, the top HN comment is an answer to comments that very few people made. Almost nobody complains here, and even the article states that Chrome Apps weren't widely used.
Chrome Apps were a Chrome-only proprietary solution, and they're being replaced by Progressive Web Apps which work in other browsers as well. This is the sort of change we should be supporting!
I feel like chrome apps were actually ahead of their time and very much better than embedding a full browser per app with electron.
Of course, they were not perfect but IHMO made much more sense than what we have today, at least on a technical standpoint and could have evolved into something truly great.
When Google first announced all the way back in 2016 that it would end support for Chrome apps on Windows, macOS, and Linux, it said approximately one percent of users on those platforms were actively using packaged Chrome apps.
The move was announced in 2016. Apps are used by 1% of users.
Chrome claims it has 1 billion users, thats 10,000,000 users of chrome apps, 1/6 of the french population.
Of course I myself never used them, I learned not to trust any Google product to begin with. These are the kind of decisions that will damage Google on the long run. I've heard that Stadia is not doing so well...
Chrome Apps were Google's idea of packaging websites as self-contained apps. They only worked within the Chrome web browser.
Now, we have Progressive Web Apps, and Google have decided to promote using open standards to achieve the same goal, rather than offering a Chrome-only solution.
PWAs can be used to "install" applications on your desktop or Chromebooks that are almost identical in capability to Chrome Packaged Apps. In my view, this is a highly responsible move by Google in moving the web forwards via standards.
Typical Google move. I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...). Support for Linux apps didn't come, either.
So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.
> I have a Chromebook. It was listed on the models that would support Android app, this support never came (it's still "planned", 2 years later...)
You should be eligible for a refund, file a complaint with consumer protection. In most places it is illegal to mislead customers and market products with planned features that you do not deliver on in a reasonable timeframe.
What model of Chromebook do you use? I've 2 chromebooks purchased around $120 each of which is at least 3 years old and I have had android apps since the day I first bought in 2017 and linux support (crostini) for at least a year.
For what it is worth, my current chrome book that was about £150 12 months ago has both linux and app support.
From what I understand about it, it is a linux kernel + driver issue. I do not know if this means it is the manufacturer of the chromebook's "fault", or google's "fault" for not supporting these things. E.g. does the manufacturer need to do a new build for their hardware? I don't know.
You say that, but you got a Chromebook despite everything Google did in the past. If people had gotten any message they'd have abandoned Google back in 2008.
Even though there's a lot of abandonware from Google, Android apps and Crostini on Chromebooks are not two of them. In fact, Android apps is one of the migration paths away from Chrome apps, a fact this article fails to mention.
Never got my keyboard for my google Nexus tablet either, 8 years and counting, actually, reminds me, under UK consumer law I think you can get a refund or part refund if extra functionality was promised and never delivered, will have to look that up :)
> So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick.
ChromeOS devices don't, in general, rely on Chrome applications any more than windows laptops do. The vast majority of the "apps" you might see on your home bar are, in fact, just web links. Is there a specific app you're worried about?
Some of your branding confusion is, in fact, exactly what Google is trying to treat here. "Chrome Apps" were a particular API for persistent web applications. It doesn't mean "apps on Chrome" and it doesn't mean standards-compliant progressive web apps.
I developed a few Chrome apps while I was in uni and what a pleasure. The APIs were easy to comprehend, the creation of an app running on any desktop OS only took a few minutes, I loved it.
The lack of documentation from Google was already noticeable 4 years ago thus I'm not surprised about that move.
My coworker sitting to the left of me still uses the Chrome App version of Postman because it works, and hasn't stopped working.
It has had an orange banner for the last year saying to upgrade but I'm pretty sure he never will, until it actually stops working.
I think in his mind, the Chrome version is fine and ultimately, he'd be going through the install process then potentially moving his saved requests to what is essentially an identical copy of the exact same application
I want to think that Postman was one of these, at least at one point. There may also have been a SQLite browser that I used briefly.
Otherwise... yeah, I can't say that I remember using any of these.
I think I'd rather have all of the Electron apps that I use now share a version of Chrome rather than each package the whole shebang themselves though.
[+] [-] crazygringo|6 years ago|reply
Second of all, this should be treated as good news for the HN crowd: Google is transitioning from a proprietary, Chrome-only app model to the open-standard, PWA model. Who doesn't support that?
There are a bunch of "typical Google cancelling a product" comments here. But for real, I simply cannot imagine any Chrome app which people actually use, whose developer is not going to transition to PWA and gain a bigger market.
Seriously, this is like complaining that Microsoft Edge doesn't support ActiveX controls. (And I certainly don't recall any complaints about that here.)
This is good news, people. Less fragmentation and more open standards.
[+] [-] jmull|6 years ago|reply
But this: "typical Google cancelling a product" is still an important message.
Google routinely floats out APIs, services, and platforms and encourages their use despite fatal flaws that mean they are doomed from day one. And some developers fall for it and later have to pay the price. Hopefully, the repeated warning will minimize this. Think of the devs right now that are mistaking Flutter for a platform that will last.
[+] [-] falcolas|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jermaustin1|6 years ago|reply
And trying to get 20 people to switch to something else is a complete non-starter.
[+] [-] Spooky23|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] thefounder|6 years ago|reply
Actually is bad news. PWAs are pretty useless and when I say useless I mean no better than a website. All the web restrictions(i.e cors) apply to PWAs. It's just a "webpage shortcut". The alternative to Chrome apps are really Electron apps not PWAs.
[+] [-] m-p-3|6 years ago|reply
VLC was available as a Chrome app, so that filled a need I had.
[+] [-] fenwick67|6 years ago|reply
* VideoStream (allowed casting to Chromecast from filesystem) * PostMan * Internal tools at previous job that used MDNS
None of these applications work as a PWA. All of these moved to Electron instead. Which is heavier and just as non-standard and dependent on Chromium as Chrome Apps.
[+] [-] shemnon42|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jcastro|6 years ago|reply
The reason I use chrome apps is to have "Gmail" as an application on my desktop so I can alt-tab to it, put it on my dock, etc and treat it as a normal app instead of a tab.
[+] [-] tmpz22|6 years ago|reply
There will be a lot of cases where this approach is reasonable. But because Google has built a strong reputation of constantly doing it, each event will be a new outrage causing more and more churn. You reap what you sow and all that.
[+] [-] offmycloud|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] eberkund|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Aissen|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] beached_whale|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lmedinas|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] laurent123456|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jefftk|6 years ago|reply
(Disclosure: I work at Google, not on Chrome)
[+] [-] Eikon|6 years ago|reply
Of course, they were not perfect but IHMO made much more sense than what we have today, at least on a technical standpoint and could have evolved into something truly great.
[+] [-] nova22033|6 years ago|reply
The move was announced in 2016. Apps are used by 1% of users.
[+] [-] throw_m239339|6 years ago|reply
Chrome claims it has 1 billion users, thats 10,000,000 users of chrome apps, 1/6 of the french population.
Of course I myself never used them, I learned not to trust any Google product to begin with. These are the kind of decisions that will damage Google on the long run. I've heard that Stadia is not doing so well...
[+] [-] g105b|6 years ago|reply
Now, we have Progressive Web Apps, and Google have decided to promote using open standards to achieve the same goal, rather than offering a Chrome-only solution.
PWAs can be used to "install" applications on your desktop or Chromebooks that are almost identical in capability to Chrome Packaged Apps. In my view, this is a highly responsible move by Google in moving the web forwards via standards.
Google have even released a migration guide (in 2016, when this was first announced): https://developers.chrome.com/apps/migration
[+] [-] wazoox|6 years ago|reply
So now I suppose my Chromebook will be soon a useless brick. Thanks, Google. Got the message, I'll never use any product with your badge again.
[+] [-] dessant|6 years ago|reply
You should be eligible for a refund, file a complaint with consumer protection. In most places it is illegal to mislead customers and market products with planned features that you do not deliver on in a reasonable timeframe.
[+] [-] hakanu|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mattlondon|6 years ago|reply
From what I understand about it, it is a linux kernel + driver issue. I do not know if this means it is the manufacturer of the chromebook's "fault", or google's "fault" for not supporting these things. E.g. does the manufacturer need to do a new build for their hardware? I don't know.
[+] [-] Kaiyou|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] igravious|6 years ago|reply
All new Chromebooks support Android apps afaik.
What model do you have?
Chrome OS is Linux (it runs the Linux kernel) – you mean your Chromebook doesn't yet support the greater Crostini project? https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/docs/+/master/c...
What part of the Quickstart: https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromiumos/docs/+/master/c... doesn't work for you? It says “Make sure you're running at least R72 (released Feb 2019).”
Even though there's a lot of abandonware from Google, Android apps and Crostini on Chromebooks are not two of them. In fact, Android apps is one of the migration paths away from Chrome apps, a fact this article fails to mention.
[+] [-] spankalee|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tyingq|6 years ago|reply
The project is dead now, but since your device is older, there's a fair chance it's supported.
I used it for a Chromebox and the process was pretty straightforward.
https://johnlewis.ie/custom-chromebook-firmware/rom-download...
[+] [-] tudorw|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zelly|6 years ago|reply
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Samsung/ARMChrome...
[+] [-] kgersen75|6 years ago|reply
which Chrome App(s) do you use that will cease to work in 2021 ?
[+] [-] unknown|6 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] ajross|6 years ago|reply
ChromeOS devices don't, in general, rely on Chrome applications any more than windows laptops do. The vast majority of the "apps" you might see on your home bar are, in fact, just web links. Is there a specific app you're worried about?
Some of your branding confusion is, in fact, exactly what Google is trying to treat here. "Chrome Apps" were a particular API for persistent web applications. It doesn't mean "apps on Chrome" and it doesn't mean standards-compliant progressive web apps.
[+] [-] Synaesthesia|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dindresto|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Twisell|6 years ago|reply
If everything is now WebApp what's the point of an OS that can't run native App vs any other OS that can do both?
I must be missing something???
[+] [-] ArmandGrillet|6 years ago|reply
The lack of documentation from Google was already noticeable 4 years ago thus I'm not surprised about that move.
[+] [-] est|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] spondyl|6 years ago|reply
My coworker sitting to the left of me still uses the Chrome App version of Postman because it works, and hasn't stopped working.
It has had an orange banner for the last year saying to upgrade but I'm pretty sure he never will, until it actually stops working.
I think in his mind, the Chrome version is fine and ultimately, he'd be going through the install process then potentially moving his saved requests to what is essentially an identical copy of the exact same application
[+] [-] factsaresacred|6 years ago|reply
Updates that would take an hour now take up to 10 days, including minor updates like a change to an extension's description.
Having your deployment date be determined by one of Google's algorithms is ulcer-inducing.
And the support is...well, see for yourself: https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/#!forum/chrom...
They can fix this. G Suite support is fine. I would pay for this process not to suck.
[+] [-] flokie|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] thrower123|6 years ago|reply
Otherwise... yeah, I can't say that I remember using any of these.
I think I'd rather have all of the Electron apps that I use now share a version of Chrome rather than each package the whole shebang themselves though.
[+] [-] Shaddox|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] somesortofsystm|6 years ago|reply
Its a worse user experience than plain ol' apps, imho. Definitely not good value for money when you can't even use the apps a year or so later ..
[+] [-] djohnston|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] thinkloop|6 years ago|reply
"more tools" > "create shortcut" > "open as window"
I use this exclusively and chromium is the only browser left that supports it.
[+] [-] chadlavi|6 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nilsandrey|6 years ago|reply