Chrome OS Site

Google has finally released their Web Store for developers to begin uploading their web applications in preparation for the store’s final launch this October. An article posted on Google’s official Chromium blog reads:

Developers can now start uploading apps and experiment with packaging them, installing them in Chrome (using the latest Chrome dev channel) and integrating our payments and user authentication infrastructure.

Even though this initiative by Google will allow developers to play around with Web Apps that they have been working on for the last few months; it is clear the Web store won’t be fully functional as of yet. In essence this ‘dev release’ will allow developers to get to grips with the app store and also allow then to configure their apps so that when the web store is finally opened for public use; their apps will be ready for purchase.

When the Chrome Web Store launches, it will replace the current gallery, featuring a completely new design for users to discover great apps, extensions and themes all in one place. Until then, only you can see the apps you upload – they will not be visible to other visitors of the gallery during this developer preview. In the meantime, you can continue to use the gallery for publishing Chrome extensions and making them available to Chrome users.

I’d like to believe that this news comes as no coincidence especially after it was leaked just a few days ago that Google may be releasing a Chrome OS device this November (in partnership with HTC and Verizon). The incremental unveiling of the Google Web Store can only signal that Chrome OS is almost, if not already complete. It is likely that before October, Google will finally announce that their upcoming operating system is finally ready for use by OEM’s (who are already working alongside Google).

The wait is almost over.