Google announced that it would wind down support for the apps back in 2016. Now, it’s confirmed a new roadmap of death, which will spell the end for the apps by 2022.
Developers will be able to update existing apps until the official end date of June 2022, but no new applications will be accepted after March this year.
Windows, Mac and Linux users will see support for apps disappear this June. But Chrome OS users can keep their applications going until the end of the year – and anyone with Chrome Enterprise Upgrade will have access until the bitter end in 2022.
Luckily, Chrome Extensions are sticking around, so we won’t see handy tools like Dashlane and Ghostery disappear.
Related: These are the Chrome Extensions worth having
In a blog post for Google, Anthony Laforge, Technical Director, confirmed the company’s commitment to extensions, stating: “Fostering a robust ecosystem of extensions is critical to Chrome’s mission and we are committed to providing a useful extension platform for customizing the browsing experience for all users.”
He expects that the disappearance of Chrome Apps won’t upset too many users, as the web is already “in a good position to answer the vast majority of use cases.”
Reading between the lines, it looks like Chrome Apps never quite matched up to the popularity of extensions and bog-standard web apps.
In fact, it’s likely that most people won’t even notice when Chrome Apps disappear. Back in 2016, Google confirmed that only one percent of Mac, Windows and Linux customers were actively using Chrome Apps.
Unless you’re part of that tiny percentage – or that number has shot up since the original post – the apps’ disappearance won’t make a big change to anyone’s browsing experience.
Related: The best Chromebook for 2020
To support developers looking to transition away from Chrome-based apps, Google has launched a handy new hub detailing different ways to migrate. Need the details? Find them here.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.