Chrome Web Store Has Finally Arrived

The good news is that the Chrome Web Store has arrived, according to a News Factor Network report. Many feel it is about time Google completed the launch. The Internet giant first mentioned the store for its open-source browser at the I/O conference in May.

Google is listing Web apps in the store that are standard Web applications built with standard Web tools and technologies. The applications will also run in other browsers that support these technologies.

While there is already a growing number of free apps available online, Google decided it was time to build a single open marketplace where consumers can easily find them, without having to take the time to identify whether or not they are real.

With the Chrome store, developers also have the opportunity to reach consumers through the offering of a single platform where consumers can search for apps. At present, the store is only available in the U.S., but Google has promised to expand it early next year.

Linus Upson, vice president of engineering, and Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management, wrote in a Google blog post that developers are already uploading apps and the company expects the number to continue to grow over time.

Much of this growth will be pushed through the prominent display of the store in Chrome as it will help people to discover great apps and developers are able to reach millions of users around the world.

Sterling Market Intelligence principal analyst, Greg Sterling, noted he is bullish on the prospects for the Chrome Web Store. He believes the mobile market, the popularity of mobile apps, and other online stores such as the Salesforce AppExchange have paved the way for the Chrome store.

Sterling went on to note that as there is no software that can be downloaded to the new Chrome OS notebooks, apps are a way to provide a richer desktop-like software experience while using the browser. This also creates a way for developers to make money on browser-based software where they might have difficulty charging for site access in a conventional Web environment.

For its part, Google is also working to plant the seeds about the Chrome OS notebooks’ potential in the enterprise. InterContinental Hotels serves as a case study for Chrome OS notebooks in call centers, business service centers and hotel guest use. The hotels are enjoying greater speed, simplicity and security benefits from the notebooks.