Chrome OS update will fix full-screen issues for Android apps

Google announced a few weeks ago that all of the Chromebooks that will be released in 2017 will support running Android apps. However, there are still problems with being able to use those apps in their natural, full-screen mode. Now there’s word that Google is planning to fix those issues in an upcoming update to Chrome OS.

Currently, if a Chromebook starts running an Android app in laptop mode, you can get it to run in its full-screen viewpoint by pressing the F4 key. If you have a 2-in-1 convertible Chromebook, you can’t run Android apps directly from tablet mode; it will still show a top bar. You have to switch to laptop mode, hit the F4 key and then flip the screen around to continue playing in full-screen view while in tablet mode.

Obviously, that’s a bit of an annoyance, but there is good news. According to what Kan Liu, the Director of Product Management for Google, told UnboxedChrome, there are changes coming. In the future, Chrome OS will immediately launch Android apps in full-screen mode. It’s not yet clear if this move will be just when a Chromebook is in tablet mode or if it will also be included when it is running in normal laptop mode.

It’s currently unknown how Chrome OS will be updated to accommodate full-screen Android apps. It’s also not know when this update will be released. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long to play Candy Crush Saga on a 12-inch display. It will also be a benefit for any upcoming tablet-only Chrome OS devices that may launch sometime in the near future.

What Android apps or games do you think will benefit the most by running in a large display on a Chromebook? Let us know your picks in the comments!