Google Chrome Apps Launch for Macs
December 17, 2013
By Oliver VanDervoort, Contributing Writer
Google (News - Alert) has been trying to lure even more users over to its web service with the launch of Chrome Apps. While these applications were only available on Chrome or Windows desktops, the apps are finally available for the Mac as well. These applications are web apps that can actually function even without an Internet connection, but they have to be run through the Chrome browser.
Among the features that the Chrome apps offer up are the ability to show off desktop alerts, access Bluetooth and USB drives and work with digital cameras. The point of Google Chrome Apps is to allow for traditional websites to have a more mobile feel. This is important because more and more people are using mobile browsers and because of that, are becoming more accustomed to the mobile look and feel.
"This is the way to deliver native apps for Chrome OS," Chrome engineering director Erik Kay said when Chrome Apps debuted in September. While the applications need to able to operate through Chrome, they do not have to be launched through Chrome. That basically means that you need to have that browser installed on your Mac, but you don’t really have to use it for anything other than these apps. Should Safari or Firefox still be your browser of choice, you can still do most of your work through those web services. Just like on the Chrome OS and Windows, the Mac version of these apps comes with its own launcher independent of the actual Google browser.
Chrome apps for actual mobile devices are coming soon as well. When the company announced the launch of the apps for Mac it was careful to lay out that it is further along in working on the mobile version than previously thought. All of this is in line with Google’s basic plan, which is to get Chrome and Chrome applications onto as many devices as possible in the shortest period of time.
Edited by Cassandra Tucker