Are Android apps for Chromebooks on the way?
The Google campus has Android mascots all over the lawn. Google has whimsically pushed the Android platform with these robots of all different colors. An eagle-eyed Google employee with a camera spotted a new robot across the lawn from the collection that gives food for thought.
The newly spotted Android is covered in Chrome, leading to speculation that perhaps Google is teasing us with an upcoming synergy between Chrome and Android. While some are wondering if this means we may see Android apps running in the Chrome browser, which would be pretty cool, I'm thinking that a merge between the Chrome OS and Android makes more sense.
As a happy Chromebook user I can easily imagine the utility that would be added with the ability to run Android apps. There are thousands of great Android apps that could be leveraged nicely on the Chromebook.
This would not only add functionality to the Chromebook, it would also make offline use of it incredible. Chrome OS would go from a decent selection of offline-enabled Chrome web apps to a vast array of Android apps that don't need to be online.
The ability to run Android apps on Chromebooks would instantly make the devices perfect for bring your own device (BYOD) in corporations. There are great Android business apps in the market that would turn Chromebooks into great business laptops.
This is all speculation but Google is sly with its Android robots on campus. Maybe it is openly teasing us. I sure hope so.
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