Google is working on a next-generation app platform for Chrome

Jul 9, 2013 10:21 GMT  ·  By

The latest Chrome dev channel release has several new APIs for the next-generation packaged apps Google has been working on for the past year or so. These new apps will look and act more like native apps than any web app before them.

In order to expand the usefulness of these Chrome apps, Google is providing several APIs that include functionality not normally available to web apps.

Apart from the Identity API, which provides apps with simple authentication methods as well as access to several Google services, such as Calendar, Google+, and Drive, the new Chrome dev includes support for the several new APIs.

The In App Payments API, as the name suggests, enables in-app payments for the apps that require them, via Google Wallet, of course. The API makes it possible to buy virtual or digital items without leaving the app.

Google is also offering an Analytics API which provides developers with relevant usage data. Things like the number of active users, the most popular features, and so on, can be measured.

The Media Gallery API is not new, but it is getting a few improvements. The API enables apps to manage local files such as music, photos, or videos. Now, it can also integrate with the iTunes library, making it possible to import music from iTunes into a packaged app.

The Bluetooth API is based on the latest 4.0 specification and allows packaged apps to connect to smartphones or headsets with Bluetooth enabled. Particularly interesting is the ability to connect to low-energy "health devices," such as fitness wristbands.

Finally, Chrome is enabling the Native Messaging API which allows packaged apps to communicate with native, binary apps. This, Google says, could prove useful for apps that need to tap into the software that drives things like motion sensors or scanners.