Google expanded its beta App Runtime for Chrome (ARC) project, enabling Android apps to run not just in Chrome OS but also on Mac, Windows, and Linux computers, with some basic limitations.
The ARC project was previously restricted to a small group of select developers who collaborated with Google on allowing Android apps to run on the company’s Chrome OS. ARC could change the standard approach to development, prompting a universal and device-agnostic system where software can be easily ported to a different OS.
The ARC project is a double benefit initiative targeted at customers and developers alike. Customers can port any Android-powered app to the desktops, developers can test any app by submitting it on ARC. The application to run softwares is based on Android 4.4 KitKat, giving users access to a range of standalone apps like Twitter, Facebook, Facebook Messenger and a wide variety games. ARC Welder is a simple Chrome app that can handle the mobile-to-desktop conversion in just a few clicks after providing it with your Android application’s APK.
Given Android has over 75 percent of the smartphone market and Chrome is by far the most popular web browser, that’s a potentially massive consumer base at whom creators can market, and streamlining the development process could lead to some very interesting features.
