Back in 2013, Google announced Chrome Apps as a way of easily running apps outside of the browser. By 2016 they were being phased out. Now Google has announced its timeline for ending support completely.
Initially, Google developed a Chrome app launcher which offered the same experience as the launcher on Chromebooks, but for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Once installed, you could run apps usually confined to the browser as if they were a separate piece of software. After that Google continued to work on web standards, new APIs, and the ability to use web apps regardless of your browser choice. Combined with an effort to simplify Chrome, by 2016 Google decided it was time to "begin the evolution away from the Chrome apps platform.
By the end of 2017 the apps had disappeared from the Chrome Web Store, but support from Google remained. Now that support is being phased out over the next two years.
Here's the timeline Google shared yesterday on the Chromium Blog:
- March 2020: Chrome Web Store will stop accepting new Chrome Apps. Developers will be able to update existing Chrome Apps through June 2022.
- June 2020: End support for Chrome Apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Customers who have Chrome Enterprise and Chrome Education Upgrade will have access to a policy to extend support through December 2020.
- December 2020: End support for Chrome Apps on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- June 2021: End support for NaCl, PNaCl, and PPAPI APIs.
- June 2021: End support for Chrome Apps on Chrome OS. Customers who have Chrome Enterprise and Chrome Education Upgrade will have access to a policy to extend support through June 2022.
- June 2022: End support for Chrome Apps on Chrome OS for all customers.
Google is keen to point out that Chrome Extensions will continue to be supported and invested in across all platforms, because "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."
Meanwhile, Google continues to push ahead with Chrome web browser development. Chrome 80 is a big improvement thanks to fewer pop-ups, and there's also a plan to phase out third-party cookies within two years.