Google began the process of phasing out support for Chrome apps in non-Chrome environments earlier this year.
The decision, according to Google Vice President of Product Management Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, was prompted by the fact that many of the capabilities offered by Google apps are now available natively in popular browsers.
Starting later this year, any new Chrome apps that are developed will be available only to Chrome OS users. All existing Chrome apps, however, will continue to work across all currently supported platforms. Developers will continue to have an opportunity to update and upgrade them.
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Also, from the second half of 2017, Chrome apps for Windows, Linux and Mac environments will no longer be available on Google’s Chrome web store. But extensions and updates will still be available to current users of the apps on non-Chrome platforms. Starting in early 2018, however, such users will no longer be able to run apps on their devices.
“All types of Chrome apps will remain supported and maintained on Chrome OS for the foreseeable future,” Roy-Chowdhury said. “Additional enhancements to the Chrome apps platform will apply only to Chrome OS devices, including kiosks.”
Meanwhile, developers who have built Chrome applications for Windows, Linux and the Mac platform are being encouraged to move their applications to the web.
However, those unable to move their applications fully to the web could work with Google in identifying and prioritizing new APIs to make up for Chrome apps that will no longer be available on other platforms, Roy-Chowdhury said. “In the short term, they can also consider using a Chrome extension or platforms such as Electron or NW.js,”
Google rolled-out Chrome apps in February 2013. The apps, which let users use web applications and send push notifications even when offline, are based on web technologies such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS but open outside the browser just like regular, native applications on different platforms.