The boundaries between Chrome OS and Android appear to be blurring, with the discovery of a feature the will apparently allow Chromebooks to run apps from the Google Play Store.
Redditors have stumbled across a checkbox in the settings of a developer version of Chrome OS that, if selected, will "enable Android Apps to run on your Chromebook," hinting at a possible crossover between Google's computer platform and its ubiquitous Android app store.
While a select number of Android applications, such as Vine and Duolingo, have made their way to Chrome OS, the platform's stable pales in comparison to the Google Play Store's million-plus apps.
Google also has a special software package that enables Android apps to function on a web browser, but its uses are limited as it's mainly a feature for developers to test software rather than for consumers.
Putting the Google Play Store on Chromebooks would not only open the laptops to a ton of games and apps, it would also be a more widely recognized service across multiple devices. This would make it easier for users to manage their accounts, purchases and payment methods.
While recent makeovers and rumors point to Chrome OS possibly being phased out in favor of Android, Google has denied claims that its Chromebook platform is going away anytime soon.
Will Chrome OS and Android fuse together as one, starting a whole new chapter for Chromebooks? We look forward to Google's upcoming IO conference next month for more answers.
In-body image credit: TheWiseYoda via Reddit
