On Friday, August 19, Google has announced that by 2018, it will discontinue support for Chrome apps on Mac, Linux and Windows.

Google Terminates Desktop Chrome Apps

According to Techno Buffalo, Google explained that its desktop Chrome apps were developed originally for an earlier Web, back in the days when software engineers did not have access to such advanced tools, like support for offline notifications or products. Since then, the Web evolved and so have Chrome's users. Google's decision to discontinue support for desktop Chrome apps on Mac, Linux and Windows is part of the efforts of the search engine giant to adapt to the new Web reality.

Google stated in its post that just one percent of its users across Mac, Linux and Windows are actually actively using apps packaged within Chrome and regular Web apps are implementing already most hosted apps. In these circumstances, users probably will not lose much when the support for desktop Chrome apps will be discontinued in 2018.

According to CNET, the discontinuing of Chrome apps for Mac, Linux and Windows machines will be gradual. In order to start the transition, beginning the second half of next year, Google will eliminate all of its Chrome apps from the Web store and will end support in 2018. Current Chrome apps will have to be transferred by developers to the Web. New apps will stop loading on non-Chrome OS machines in 2018, remaining available only on Chromebooks by the end of this year.

What Chrome Apps Are Included?

The desktop Chrome apps that will be discontinued range from games like a now-discontinued version of Angry Birds to photo-editing program Pixlr Touch Up. When users download them from the Chrome Web Store, the apps behave like a program installed on the hard drive. They open in a separate window when they are launched from the Chrome browser.

Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, Google VP of product development, declared that the company remains committed to invest in the Web alongside other browser vendors. Google will keep enabling developers and users to benefit from the Web's "openness and reach."