Google Chrome Users: App Launcher’s Time Is Up, Here’s Why

By Jose de la Cruz | Mar 28, 2016 12:00 PM EDT

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Google recently announced that since most of the users of Windows, Linux and Mac are usually launching their apps from inside Chrome, it decided to discontinue the app launcher.

Those who are still using the app launcher will be given a notification about its removal. The Mountain View, CA-based company through Marc Pawliger, a Chrome engineering director stated in a blog post that "In July, existing instances of the launcher will be removed."

But the search giant is still providing interested users access to Chrome apps through chrome://apps in the omibox or by clicking apps shortcut which is located at the bookmarks bar.

"We've found that users on Windows, Mac, and Linux prefer to launch their apps from within Chrome," said Pawliger.

He announced on the blog that starting in a few weeks; Chrome will not enable the launchers when it is first installed in a Chrome app.

"Anyone who currently has the launcher will receive a notice informing them that the launcher will be going away," he added.

The search giant added that the removal process will be done over the next several months.

Google Chrome apps are easy to open when the app launcher is used. But since there were not too many takers, it really did not serve its original purpose, according to the company blog.

However, many users who commented on Google's recent move disagreed with what the company did.

"I think your claim that most users 'prefer to launch their apps from within Chrome' is hogwash," said Leon Amarant today.

"The App Launcher is a great feature that seems to [have] suffered from poor marketing/integration. My vote is to, at a minimum, keep it as a feature for those who would like to use it ... and judging from the other comments, I'm not alone," Amarant added.

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