Many fine apps have been made with AppStudio for mobile devices. With AppStudio 3.2, these apps can be turned into packaged apps that run on the desktop. They can even be sold in the Google Play store.
Packaged apps deliver an experience as capable as a native app, but as safe as a web page. Just like web apps, packaged apps are written in HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS. But packaged apps look and behave like native apps, and they have native-like capabilities that are much more powerful than those available to web apps.
Apps packaged this way currently run on Windows. Google says Mac and Linux support is coming soon.
Detailed instructions can be found here. Here’s an overview of what needs to be done:
- Get your app ready: certain instructions, such as alert, MsgBox and eval() are not allowed.
- Prepare 16×16 and 128×128 icons.
- Use “Build Desktop App” on AppStudio’s Run menu to make the upload zip file.
- From your Google Developer Account, upload the file.
- Set up the other information Google requires for a store listing.
- Wait a few minutes for your app to appear in the Play Store.
- Download the app.
- You can run it from the Chrome App Launcher or from a Windows shortcut.
This is a great way to extend your apps to new markets, for training, for prototyping and for testing!