Lacros, the Linux version of Chrome built for Chrome OS is set to become the primary browser on your Chromebook.
Update on 08-MAY-2021: Google is one more step closer to making Lacros the primary browser on a Chromebook. When I opened Lacros in the latest Canary version, my default Chrome profile had automatically moved to Lacros Chrome. Effective today, I am using Lacros as my primary browser. The next step for Google is to remove the regular Chrome browser.
Lacros as the primary browser
Chrome comes built-into Chrome OS. Well, Chrome OS was just the Chrome browser in the early days. Recently, Google started working on a new standalone version of Chrome for Chrome OS.
To make this happen, Google took Chrome for Linux and modified it and created a Chrome version for Chrome OS. They call this Lacros.
So, how does this help users?
When Chrome is built-into Chrome OS, you will stop receving Chrome updates, leaving your browser and thereby your Chromebook insecure.
Now, think what happens if Chrome was just another app on your Chrome OS? You could receive updates even when your Chromebook reaches end of life right?
This will change the way you use your Chromebook.
Are we there yet?
This morning I noticed a new Chrome OS flag to test Lacros as your primary browser:
“Lacros as the primary browser: Use Lacros-chrome as the primary web browser on Chrome OS. This flag is ignored if Lacros support is disabled.”
As the flag name and description suggest, you will soon be able to make Lacros your primary browser on your Chromebook.
It might take a few more days for this flag to land in the Canary channel of Chrome OS where I will be able to test this. I shall update this article as soon as I get to do this.
In the meantime, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have an old Chromebook that you will be able to use again because of this Chromebook?
Source: Chromium Gerrit.
Leave a ReplyCancel reply