Since last year’s announcement at CES and the following month’s preview, the App streaming between Android and Chromebook there was no more talk. The feature was not canceled, Google was simply proceeding with “its” time. The Cross-Device Services app debuted yesterday on the Play Storewhich, to quote the description on the Google application store, will allow
to do things like reply to a text, check the status of a ride or start/edit your shopping list from your Chromebook. This saves time and lets you focus when you’re already on your Chromebook without having to switch devices.
The description does not mention many details on what is possible to do, fortunately, however, the attached screenshots say enough. The functionality should allow you to open almost any app installed on your smartphone from your Chromebook, or so it seems. In the ChromeOS Phone Hub there is a section Recent appsrecent apps, with a nice icon All appstapping which – show the other screenshot – a list with all the smartphone apps should appear, Apps from your phone.
Another screenshot shows how the app appears on Chrome OS once selected, i.e. with a floating window and an indication at the top of the phone the app came from itself and the information displayed, in this case From Pixel 7 Pro. Speaking of Pixels, those who own one shouldn’t need to resort to the Play Store to have Cross-Device Services and stream streaming on Chromebooks, the app should be pre-installed and should only be updated to version 1.0.285.1, l latest available.
Cross-Device Services weighs just over 100 MB and can be installed on several smartphones, not all of them: the Play Store, for example, offers us the installation on a OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G but not on an Oppo Reno8 Lite 5G, probably due to the absence (on our device) of Android 13. We await the officialization by by Google.
- Cross Device Services | android | Google Play Store, Free.
