Windows apps arrive to Chrome OS thanks to Google and VMWare partnership

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It seems that every app on every platform is the new model. We just heard of Microsoft planning to let Android apps to run on Windows, and now Google is announcing that is working with VMWare to bring Windows apps to Chrome OS.

It shouldn’t come to anyone surprise Google’s timing to partner with VMWare to bring traditional Windows applications to Chromebooks, as this is a great opportunity for the company to take advantage of Microsoft ending Windows XP support in April, an operating system that still very actively in use by many companies and many companies are still ignoring Windows 8.

Basically once everything is in place, users will see and access Windows apps as if they were installed on a Chrombook. But only after deploying VMWare Horizon DaaS (Desktop as a Service) cloud-infrastructure that allows servers to stream apps using the HMTL5/Blast experience to Chromebooks.

Although Google’s attempt to attract businesses to get in the wagon of low-cost devices and move away from Windows, the solution is far from perfect as a big numbers of companies still prefer running desktop applications natively on PCs because of performance, security, and many other implications. And that goes without saying that everything requires a well designed network as this virtualized solution requires very reliable network connectivity — just imagine 100 Chromebooks hitting the wireless network at once.

Also just buying the low-cost Chromebooks isn’t the entire solution, businesses wanting to implement this virtualization approach need to consider the cost involve, such as the cost for deploying new servers, licensing for VMWare Horizon DaaS, which isn’t cheap, state-of-the-art wireless solution, and Windows licensing to install the applications.

Even though this is a clear attack from Google to gain enterprise market share, Microsoft will continue to make money as the solution (as I mentioned above) still requires to install apps in Windows (which companies has to pay for) before they can be streamed out to Chrome OS.

Source Google

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.