Google is working to allow Android apps to run natively on Chromebooks through the ARC (Android Runtime for Chrome) framework. ARC allows running modified Android apps within Chrome through a compatibility layer. Currently, some Android apps can run on Chromebooks through unofficial methods like the ARChon custom runtime plugin. By late 2016, Google plans to officially support the Google Play Store and Android apps on Chromebooks without the need for workarounds.

1. Running Android Apps on Chrome & ChromeOS
June 2, 2016
Mark S. Zinzow
Slideshare.net/msz

2. Wouldn't it be nice to run more apps on a
Chromebook, or Android Apps on desktops?
http://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/2015/0403/ARC-Welder-How-to-run-Android-apps-on-a-
Mac-or-PC

3. Google’s ARC Welder
Run Android Apps in Chrome
http://www.howtogeek.com/214734/how-to-use-googles-arc-
welder-to-run-android-apps-in-chrome/

4. App Runtime for Chrome (Beta), or ARC
Introduced in September of 2014
https://developer.chrome.com/apps/getstarted_arc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_App_Runtime_for_Chrome
Android Runtime for Chrome (ARC) is a compatibility layer and sandboxing technology for
running Android applications on desktop and laptop computers in an isolated environment.
It allows safely running the applications from a web browser, independent of user
operating system, allowing the Android applications to run at near-native speeds.
https://chrome.go
ogle.com/webstor
e/category/collecti
on/also_on_andro
id

5. ARC is a Chrome extension

6. ARChon Runtime for Chrome
Run Android Apps in Chrome in OS X, Linux and Windows
https://archon-runtime.github.io/

7. Chromeos-apk
https://github.com/vladikoff/chromeos-apk

8. Twerk

9. ARChon PackagerARChon Packager (formerly Chrome APK Packager) is a convenient way to
produce Chrome ARChon Custom Runtime packages directly from your phone.
Stuck? http://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-apk-packager-android-app/
You can generate chrome packages from either APKs on your phone's storage,
or from apps installed on your phone (It will pull APK)

10. ARChon Packager/Plugin Tips
This App Makes It Even Easier to Install Android Apps in Chrome
http://www.omgchrome.com/chrome-apk-packager-android-app/
“Remember: you do need to have the ARChon plugin ... installed
in Chrome for apps to run.”
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.bpear.archonpackager
The ARChon plugin is not in the Webstore, get it here: https://archon-
runtime.github.io/
“Warning: The custom runtime will replace the official runtime component. To go
back to the official runtime you will need to uninstall the custom one and reinstall
the official one.”
This and more tips at:
https://github.com/vladikoff/chromeos-apk/blob/master/archon.md

11. Over 300 Android Apps work with ARChon
http://tinyurl.com/ARChonApps

12. Sideloading the Google Play Services apk
https://github.com/vladikoff/chromeos-apk/issues/66

13. By the Fall of 2016, This will all be easier!
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2016/05/bring-your-android-app-to-chromebooks.html
http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/android-apps
“As announced at Google I/O 2016, Chromebooks will soon support
the Google Play Store and Android apps.”
https://chrome.googleblog.com/2016/05/the-google-play-store-coming-to.html
http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/11712140/android-apps-native-chromebook-video
http://www.omgchrome.com/google-play-store-coming-chromebooks/

14. Many useful tips, hacks, links, and discussions at
https://www.reddit.com/r/chromeapks/
Guide to Running an APK
1) Download ARChon Runtime
http://archon-runtime.github.io/
Only apps modified to run with
ARChon will work.
Consult the compatibility sheet.
2) Unzip the file.
3) Go to chrome://extensions
4) Enable Developer Mode.
5) Click on the Unpacked
Extension button.
6) Navigate to the vladikoff-archon-
44bc9ba24037 folder, highlight it
and click Open.
7) The ARChon Runtime is now
"installed".
8) To launch compatible apps, load
them using Unpacked Extension
button in Chrome Extension
settings and click launch.

15. Ways to Get a Sneek Peek
Chromebook HowTo: Update to the hidden Canary build
http://strawn-04.blogspot.in/2013/12/chromebook-howto-update-to-hidden.html
“Note the lack of a yellow Chrome Canary
logo. That's because, in Chrome OS, two
versions of Chrome can't coexist like they
can on other platforms. So, you get the
same old multi-colored logo in Chrome OS
Canary that you'll find in Chrome OS
otherwise. However, notice how there's
also no channel-switcher? Again, Chrome
OS Canary is a whole different animal
compared to other versions. Canary builds
are not allowed to be easily
interchangeable with other versions, and
as such, you won't find a channel pull-down
at all when you update.”

16. Try Chrome OS Canary
Without Risking Your Chromebook's Stability
http://chromeos-cr48.blogspot.pt/
“If you're not aware, Canary is a version of Chrome OS that is even more up to date
with code changes and new features than dev channel. So it goes stable --> beta -->
dev --> canary with stable being the most stable, reliable and least often updated
version and canary being the least stable and least reliable but most often updated.
A Canary version of the Chrome browser has been available and can be run in parallel
with other Chrome channels on Windows and Mac for some time but there's been no
publicly known equivalent for Chrome OS until Kenny's discovery and normally, your
Chromebook is only on one channel of Chrome OS, switching between channels
meant a USB recovery or powerwash.”