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Why Zoom is shutting down its Chromebook app

Fionna Agomuoh
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Zoom has plans to shut down its Chrome app in August, to enable it to focus on its other applications.

9to5Google recently discovered a notice in the Zoom app detailing that the brand is directing users to begin using the Chrome PWA (progressive web app) ahead of its discontinuation of the Zoom app for Chromebooks.

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“This app will no longer be officially supported after August 2022. Please use the new Zoom for Chrome PWA to join meetings on ChromeOS,” Zoom said in the notice.

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The Zoom video conferencing platform, which became popular during the pandemic in 2020 has been compatible with most computing systems. Chromebooks have been especially popular with schools and universities due to their low cost and compatibility with Google’s ChromeOS, TechRadar noted.

However, Google has had plans since August 2020 to discontinue its Chrome apps on all platforms across the board, culminating with the end of support for Chrome apps on ChromeOS in June 2022.

But with the option of either the Chrome PWA or the Android app, accessing Zoom shouldn’t be a problem. Zoom plans to provide some app updates to the web app that makes it easier to use, with a look and feel similar to other platform versions such as Windows and MacOS. It also has various advanced chat features, such as background blur, 9to5Google added.

PWA installation is fairly easy and can be done through most web browsers, such as Chrome. Typically, you can find the installation option by accessing the three-dot icon located at the top right corner of the browser.

Have the app or program you want to install open in the browser tap. If there is no “apps section” in the drop-down menu, you should be able to go directly to an “install app” option. Select install and it should do so automatically.

Once installed, many popular apps will show up as icons on the system dock for easy access. To uninstall just go back to that setting and select uninstall.

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