Finally: ChromeOS web app icons will look exceptional on Chromebooks

By Maggie Last updated Apr 27, 2023

A brand new development effort to assist differentiate between the internet and different apps on ChromeOS is in the works. The function request became introduced to Google’s queue on March 30 however coding hasn’t begun yet. However, today the request turned into assigned to a developer. The alternate because it’s now proposed will use squircles for ChromeOS web app icons. I don’t assume that’s the way to head.

Customers are uncertain of what platform their ChromeOS apps are from

On average, this is very good news for the ChromeOS-inverse. it’s going to deal with one of the most customary lawsuits I’ve heard from human beings over the past six or seven years. That criticism is not having the ability to inform if an app installed on a Chromebook is native, net-based, or Android.

I individually don’t have this grievance due to the fact I gravitate towards net apps over the Android model in the Google Play save. So I don’t have YouTube apps, like some humans do, for instance. I have one model of it and I understand it’s the internet app due to the fact I hooked up it as a PWA, or innovative web App. without a doubt, it’s a ChromeOS web app and there’s no duplication or confusion to me in this case.

However, I understand the issue that humans have.

Here I set up the YouTube Android app on my Chromebook and yes, it’s far puzzling to have versions in my Launcher:

Addressing this confusion with icons to distinguish net apps is useful.

However…

This ChromeOS net app icons answer feels backward to me

while I completely assist in using exclusive icons for internet apps, I don’t think Google ought to use the squared circle, or “squircle” technique here. And I have a logical reason for my stance.

Returned in 2019, Google changed the Android icons in the Google Play save. It then became mandatory to have Play Keep app icons use rounded corners, i.e., squircles. And by means of “mandatory,” I imply that Google might robotically convert the antique circular icons to squircles. Builders should add new Android app icons to meet the requirement but Google made the changes if that didn’t show up.

That design language continues to be in location these days.

Hit up the Google Play store in ChromeOS and you’ll see app icons in squares with rounded circles.

Right here’s the thing. If Android app icons universally use squircles, why use the equal layout for ChromeOS web apps?

That answer is absolutely backward and inconsistent between Android and ChromeOS. Rather, I’d assume ChromeOS internet app icons must be full circles like they’re today inside the Launcher. It’s certainly Android apps on Chromebooks that should have the squircles, no? That could carry cohesiveness between Android on telephones and drugs and Android on Chromebooks.

With any luck, Google considers this earlier than making the trade to ChromeOS internet app icons. I’ve started the issue and will watch for development. If it looks like Google goes with squircles for net apps, I’ll leave a comment suggesting Google rethinks the approach. Permits’s not make one thing much less difficult by using making it more complicated!