For quite some time now, Chrome OS users have been able to use Android apps on their computers. This, instantly, added a bunch of extra features to the Chrome OS software. At Google’s Developer Summit, the company revealed that the use of Android apps on Chrome OS has grown significantly over the past year.

When Chrome OS first launched back then, there wasn’t much people could do with the software. Users can use Google Chrome and Google Doc application host. Other than that, it was just a bloated Chrome browser. However, when Google added Android apps to the software, Chromebooks gained access to thousands of different apps.

Android app usage on Chrome OS has grown a lot over the past year

Google recently hosted its annual Developer Summit. During the event, the company talked about some of the gains Chrome OS has made over the past year. In addition to talking about the upcoming Steam Alpha, Google talked about using the Android app on the platform.

According to the company, Chrome OS has seen a 50% increase in Android app usage. While a good portion of these apps were most likely work apps, the majority of them were games. That’s why Google has a lot of faith in the future of gaming on Chromebooks.

In other Chromebook news: Steam Alpha is coming to select Chromebooks

During the event, Google talked a bit about the upcoming Steam Alpha coming to Chromebooks. Some Chromebooks will be able to download an alpha version of Steam. This will give them access to a wide assortment of games to play.

While exciting, most people will likely be left out. There are powerful Chromebooks out there, but most Chromebooks on the market are pretty cheap. They’re primarily used for the education market, so there’s not a lot of power behind many of them. Steam’s alpha may be reserved for high-end Chromebooks only.