Google announced it is ending support for LaCros , an experimental standalone browser for Chromebooks, as the company shifts focus to integrating more of the Android stack into ChromeOS .
The decision marks the conclusion of a four-year project aimed at improving update speeds and performance for Chromebook users.LaCros, short for Linux and ChromeOS, was designed to separate the Chrome browser from the underlying operating system, potentially allowing for faster updates and extended support for older devices.Google began development in 2020 and made it available for testing in August 2023.Despite its promise, Google has decided to discontinue LaCros support with ChromeOS version 128.
The company stated that embracing portions of the Android stack would be a more effective way to accelerate innovation on Chromebooks.
"We believe this will be a more effective way to help accelerate the pace of innovation on Chromebook," Google explained in a post on the ChromeOS Beta Tester Community Forum.The tech giant assures users that this change will not impact their Chromebook experience.
Additionally, Google's recent announcement about building ChromeOS on the Android Linux Kernel aims to further align development between the two platforms.While some users who relied on LaCros for features like account switching may be affected, the majority of Chromebook users are unlikely to notice any changes in their day-to-day usage.
Google announced it is ending support for LaCros , an experimental standalone browser for Chromebooks, as the company shifts focus to integrating more of the Android stack into ChromeOS . The decision marks the conclusion of a four-year project aimed at improving update speeds and performance for Chromebook users.LaCros, short for Linux and ChromeOS, was designed to separate the Chrome browser from the underlying operating system, potentially allowing for faster updates and extended support for older devices.Google began development in 2020 and made it available for testing in August 2023.Despite its promise, Google has decided to discontinue LaCros support with ChromeOS version 128. The company stated that embracing portions of the Android stack would be a more effective way to accelerate innovation on Chromebooks."We believe this will be a more effective way to help accelerate the pace of innovation on Chromebook," Google explained in a post on the ChromeOS Beta Tester Community Forum.The tech giant assures users that this change will not impact their Chromebook experience. Monthly releases and security fixes for both Chrome and ChromeOS will continue as usual.Google credits the LaCros experiment with providing valuable feedback, leading to performance improvements in ChromeOS, including faster login times and enhanced battery life during video playback.This decision comes amid significant changes to ChromeOS in recent years, including a shift to a four-week update schedule and extended support for new Chromebooks up to 10 years. Additionally, Google's recent announcement about building ChromeOS on the Android Linux Kernel aims to further align development between the two platforms.While some users who relied on LaCros for features like account switching may be affected, the majority of Chromebook users are unlikely to notice any changes in their day-to-day usage.
