Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A new “App Mall” is in the works for Chromebooks, promising a streamlined way to discover and install apps.
- The App Mall draws inspiration from the existing Explore app and makes installing web apps incredibly easy.
- Currently, the App Mall features only Android and web apps, not Linux apps.
Chromebooks offer impressive versatility, with the ability to run PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), Android apps, and even Linux apps. Until now, there was no single source to browse through and install all these various kinds of apps for Chromebooks, but that’s about to change. Currently in the preview stage, the new App Mall promises a centralized location featuring the best apps and games for Chromebooks.
The folks at Chrome Unboxed discovered that the App Mall is currently available for preview, even if you’re not on a Chromebook. Chromebook users wishing to access the App Mall will need to enable the chrome://flags/#cros-mall flag within the Canary channel of ChromeOS 126. This should add the App Mall icon to their shelf and app launcher.
As you can see from screenshots of the preview above, the App Mall layout borrows from the existing Explore app, with sections for Search, Home, Apps, and Games.
When you select an app, the App Mall provides a detailed description, screenshots, and installation options. Apps may be available solely through the Play Store, or a dropdown menu might present choices between web/PWA versions and Android app installs.
One of the standout features of the App Mall seems to be the simplified installation of web apps.
Currently, App Mall features web and Android apps only, but we could see the inclusion of Linux apps in the future. The App Mall is marked as an “experiment,” indicating further development is on the cards.
