Google has launched a tool that lets Android apps run on any machine that can run its Chrome browser.
The software, called Arc Welder, acts as a wrapper around Android apps so they can run on Windows, OSX and Linux machines.
The project was previously limited to a small group of developers who got to collaborate with Google to do so.
Now, the company has launched a new Chrome app packager that expands the places that Android apps can run and might make it easier for developers to get code working on different machines.
However, ARC doesn’t yet include all Play Services, meaning that some apps that require missing services like in-app purchasing will fail to run or crash.
In its developer documentation, Google said the underlying technology for Arc Welder meant converted apps should run almost as quickly as they did on a phone or tablet.
With Arc Welder Google, it is seeking a way to help developers get their creations onto as many machines as possible
The move means that developers can build a single app and have it run on Android mobile devices as well as most desktops.
With Microsoft promising a unified Windows 10 OS for PCs, phones and tablets later this year, it’s important for Google to help Android keep pace — and this seems to be a smart way to do so.