Reddit user u/TheWiseYoda posted on the Chrome OS subreddit r/chromeos that the operating system briefly gave him the option to enable Android applications to work on his Chromebook. He added that the option disappeared quickly, but u/InauspiciousPagan was fast enough to click on the box and enable it.
As users add more and more devices to their daily lives, a unified OS ecosystem could bring in a world of convenience. It would be much like how Android Wear or Apple's WatchOS tie in to Android OS and iOS. While Microsoft has already been travelling down that path, with Windows 10 being their universal OS, it now seems Google wants to go the same way.
The news comes after Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, said last year he saw merit behind integration of the two OSes.
This is however not the first time Android apps have worked on Chromebooks. Google had earlier announced App Runtime for Chrome (ARC), which allowed app developers to enable their apps to work as extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
This move comes as a potential shot in the arm for Chrombooks, which leveraged their low cost, to offer a light, cloud-based experience. The Android Play store features close to 2 million apps and while they are designed keeping in mind a touch-screen interface, some still offer a rewarding experience on the Chromebook's keyboard and touchpad. For those who want a more holistic experience, there's always the range of touch-enabled Chromebooks.
The feature enabling Android apps for Chrome OS was discovered on version 51.0.2699 dev.
