The Chromium team within Google has updated the list of Chrome OS devices that can or will have support for Android apps. The update is a significant improvement over the laundry list of devices that they had released last year as this update now lists the devices that have the ability to run Android apps, in which channel, and which ones have support planned. Right now, the list of devices that support apps in the Stable channel (the main production channel) is pretty limited. That list is:
- Acer Chromebook R11 (CB5-132T and C738T)
- AOpen Chromebox Mini
- AOpen Chromebase Mini
- Chromebook Flip C100PA
- Google Pixel (2015)
- Samsung Chromebook Plus
The list of Chrome OS devices that support Android apps in the Beta channel are even fewer:
- Acer Chromebook R13 (CB5-312T)
- Asus Chromebook Flip C302
It isn’t hard to figure out that the vast majority of devices out there are still listed as Planned.
In fact, there are 84 devices currently listed as Planned in the updated list. The problem, and frustration, is there is no clear indicator on when these devices will see the update to get Android apps. The ability to run Android apps on Chrome OS is a killer feature but Google is risking alienating customers by indicating the feature was coming yet taking what seems like forever to roll it out.
Google indicated at Google Cloud Next that Chrome 58 or 59 would be running the Android Nougat framework instead of the currently Marshmallow framework. That could be the trigger mechanism that sees a flood of devices get support. We can hope at least.
I highly recommend bookmarking this page from the Chromium team as it will likely be updated as new devices get support for Android apps.
