Why not all Chromebooks will get Android apps - beelerbuntind

Google is adding Android app keep to Chrome Operating system, but your Chromebook might not get it. Despite Google's promise of a five-twelvemonth lifespan for Chromebooks, most Chromebooks released to a higher degree two years ago will be left out.

Check Google's inclination

Google published a heel of Chromebooks, Chromeboxes, and Chromebases that will capture Android apps. This isn't necessarily a complete name even so, and new devices may be added.

If you want to embody one of the first people to become your hands on this feature when it debuts in the developer television channel with Chrome variant 53 in June 2016, you'll deman an Asus Chromebook Flip, Acer Chromebook R11, or Google Chromebook Pixel (the 2015 model only).

A variety of other Chromebooks—primarily ones less than 2 years old—will receive Humanoid app back afterwards in 2016. But older Chromebooks—even very capable ones—are larboard out.

Surprisingly enough, even Google's first Chromebook Pixel, released in 2013, won't beat Android app support. The new Chromebook Pixel was made past Google itself and includes a touchscreen and faster CPU than many current Chromebooks that will pick up this support, so that's surprising.

google chromebook pixel 2015 left vs pixel 2013 right — Only the 2015 Chromebook Pixel, connected the left, testament receive Android app support.

What about the five-year lifespan?

Google's End of Life policy page states that Chromebooks and Chromeboxes will beryllium supported with software updates for at least 5 years from their sack date. IT lists end-of-life (EOL) dates for a variety of Chromium-plate devices, so you bottom meet when confirm will be up for the device you own.

Google's policy ensures that Chrome OS devices testament continue receiving security updates for five years, but nowhere does it promise that every big unaccustomed features will refer older Chromebook hardware.

Google hasn't officially said why it's omitting elder Chromebooks. As a company engineer explained in more detail to Ars Technica, the back comes from running Android in a container—earlier attempts at Android app support were supported Android Runtime for Chromium-plate (ARC) applied science, but that required a lot of additional work from app developers, indeed information technology was thrown out. With the container, low-point features may require a newer version of the Linux center than is running on these omitted Chromebooks. And it could potentially be a lot of work to upgrade them for compliance. Google would also have to put many time into testing the kernel upgrades and Android app suffer on a more wider range of hardware.

It's practical that enterprising hackers could port Android app support to older Chromebooks, but I don't recommend holding your breath. This feature is closed-source, so no one outside of Google can flush get at the source code to study on a port. If you need Android apps on your Chromebook and you have an older Chromebook, you should think about buying a freshly one.

But in that location's not necessarily a rush—if you're content to postponemen for the stable release, there leave probably atomic number 4 new Chromebooks that come optimized for this feature later this year. If you must take up the indorse ASAP, I hear the Asus Chromebook Flip is good. I just bought one, myself.