Google's Chromebooks are about to get a lot more useful: the Internet-based PCs now tap into Google Play.
"We've been encouraged by [our] growth, but our users have often told us that they would like to do even more with their Chromebooks—run more apps, use Office files more easily, connect with a variety of apps, and do more when they're offline," Google said in a blog post.
So the search giant's app store is coming to Chrome OS. "The same apps that run on phones and tablets can now run on Chromebooks without compromising their speed, simplicity or security," according to Google.
Google Play will first roll out on the developer channel for the Asus Chromebook Flip, Acer Chromebook R 11, and the newest Chromebook Pixel. It will reach other Chromebooks "over time"; check this list for updates.
Google also teased "great new devices specially designed for Play," details of which should arrive in the next few months.
Developers can "easily bring their apps to laptops," according to Google. "And all this is built on top of Chrome OS, so users will continue to have everything they love in their Chromebooks."
"Not only are we addressing many of the existing needs and use cases that people have for their Chromebooks, we are also betting on the millions of developers who are innovating every day to build the next great experience that wasn't even possible on PC platforms before," Google said. "This is just the beginning, and we're excited to see what the future holds for everyone!"
The news follows reports late last year that Google was planning to fold Chrome OS into Android, a claim the Web giant denied. "While we've been working on ways to bring together the best of both operating systems, there's no plan to phase out Chrome OS," Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Android, Chrome OS, and Chromecast, wrote in a blog post at the time.
Today at I/O, Google acknowledged that there has been a lot of interest in the ways that Chrome OS and Android could come together. But Google says its general approach is to take the best attribute of each system and share them with each other.
Yesterday, meanwhile, Google previewed an experience, dubbed Android Instant Apps, that will let you view app-like content without having to actually install an app. As for whether that will work on Chrome OS, Google responded with a solid maybe, as they haven't tested it yet.
Max Eddy contributed to this story.