Chromebooks’ upcoming App Mall may be a web app
As with most Chromebook apps, the App Mall is most likely an online app. This is not surprising, as ChromeOS itself is built on the Chrome browser engine, a core software component that transforms web content into a visual and interactive experience on your screen.Â
Google may want to leverage the existing infrastructure for deploying the App Mall rather than build a whole new native app. Apart from your Chromebook, you’ll also be able to use Mall on your ChromeOS tablet. It will exist under the discover.apps.chrome URL. But it’s currently inactive, and you’ll receive an error message if you try to visit the website.
Information from the Chromium website also shows that developers are exploring the possibility of a default position for the Mall’s icon on the Chromebook launcher.
App Mall will house both online and Android apps
The name “App Mall” indicates that Google’s new feature for ChromeOS will act as a central location for apps. Whether it will shelter apps from the Linux environment is unknown yet, but it’ll host online and Android apps from the Google Play Store. Frankly, there’s not much information on how it will work. So we’ll have to wait until it goes public to see for ourselves.
However, it aligns with other projects like the Chrome M121 update, considering Chromebooks heavily rely on the web. The update amplified the browser’s functionality with three AI features. You can now use smart tab grouping and themes or get AI to draft content for you. All these elements streamline your online experience and information access.
Make do with existing Chromebook options for now
Before App Mall reaches your Chromebook or tablet, you can still use the built-in Explore app to find apps. It features curated collections categorized under productivity, entertainment, education, and more. You can also search for specific apps by name.
Most Chromebooks also come with the Google Play Store pre-installed. While not all Android apps are perfectly optimized for them, many work well and can extend the functionality of your device. If your Chromebook supports Linux installation, you can explore Linux-compatible software through Ubuntu, Debian, and other repositories. However, using Linux requires technical knowledge and might not be suitable.
Alternatively, use the Chrome Web Store. Its selection of web apps is specifically designed for Chromebooks and runs entirely within the Chrome browser, making them efficient and convenient.
