Google uses the beta App Runtime for Chrome (ARC) to enable Android apps to run on Chrome OS. This, in turn, is built on Native Client, which is a sandbox for running compiled programs within the Chrome Web browser independent of the user’s operating system.
That last bit is important. It indicates that by using ARC you can not only run Android apps on Chrome OS, but within the Chrome Web browser on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows PCs as well. It turns out that isn't just a theory. It can be done in real life.
Vlad Filippov, an independent developer, has released chromeos-apk. With this you can both try to run any Android app on Chrome OS or under the Chrome Web browser on any of its supported desktop operating systems.
This is beta software. Some programs won't work, and even with the apps that do work you'll need to do a fair amount of tweaking. For example SoundCloud, shown above, tends to break.
Still, the way is clear. Android apps are coming to Chrome OS, and indeed any platform with the Chrome Web browser. A revolution in desktop computing is on its way and these are the first waves.
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