Googlebook OS just fixed one of its biggest early app annoyances

Googlebook OS is barely out of the starting gate, but early adopters have already given Google a fairly clear homework list. Apps have been one of the biggest talking points, from some Android apps behaving differently across hardware to major Google services running as web experiences instead of native Android apps. Google now appears to be moving quickly on some of that feedback, and its latest Chrome update addresses one particularly annoying limitation.

With Chrome 155, Googlebook owners can install any webpage as a web app, even when the website wasn’t specifically designed to be installable. Previously, sites without the necessary web app manifest could only be saved as shortcuts that opened in regular browser tabs.

Google says that restriction was a deliberate launch decision, but acknowledged that users wanted something more flexible. To install a site, open it in Chrome, head to the three-dot menu, choose Save and share, then select Install and create shortcut. Some supported sites will also show an Install button directly in the address bar. Once installed, the page opens in its own app-style window instead of another browser tab.

If you already created a shortcut for that site before this update, Google recommends deleting the old shortcut first and reinstalling it using the new option.

These installed web apps also integrate more naturally with Googlebooks. They appear in the app launcher and can be pinned to the taskbar or homescreen, while sharing your Chrome login, cookies, site permissions, and browser extensions. That should make Googlebook OS’ web-heavy approach much easier to live with, especially after the early confusion around app support.

Chrome 155 also fixes another smaller irritation. Chrome Settings now opens in its own tab instead of taking over the entire screen, so you can keep another webpage open while changing browser settings.

None of this completely settles the wider debate over native Android apps versus web apps on Googlebooks. But the platform is only weeks old, and seeing Google respond this quickly to early feedback is encouraging. A new operating system will always need some sanding around the edges, and the important part is that Google already has the sandpaper out.

Chrome 155 is rolling out through the Google Play Store over the next few days, so the update may not appear on every Googlebook immediately.