Chrome PWA

[Lis2]

I have a Chromebook, and got the message today at the top of Zoom screen that "Zoom Chrome app will no longer be supported since June 2022" (maybe they meant as of June or after June?), and to use Zoom for Chrome PWA to join meetings. I have downloaded that app, and now just need to know if this app will still work on my Chromebook beyond June? The info made it sound as if this was so, but I sent a note to Zoom support to double check, and the tech guy said no, b/c the PWA was not an extension. Does anyone know?  I need this to teach, so appreciate any help. Thanks.

[Bort · Accepted solution]

Hi @Lis2 

I actually handle the release notes for both the ChromeOS app and the new PWA (Progressive Web App), so I can explain this for you. 

In mid-2020, the Google team responsible for creating ChromeOS apps, aka apps designed to work on Chromebooks, decided they were moving away from this style of app and would be phasing them out over the next couple of years. They finally made a decision to end support for all of these old style ChromeOS apps in June of this year. You can read more about that here: https://blog.chromium.org/2020/08/changes-to-chrome-app-support-timeline.html

Zoom's response to this was to shift our focus away from the ChromeOS app and instead work more on the web client, in order to make it better and serve as a replacement for the ChromeOS app. This new style of app, a Progressive Web App, works directly in the Chrome web browser, rather than a dedicated app on the Chromebook. 

Both can still be used right now, but after June, the old ChromeOS app will no longer be available and Chromebooks will only have the PWA as an option. Currently the PWA/web client already has more features than the ChromeOS app had and will continue to be supported for many years to come. 

Hope that helps and please make sure to mark the solution as accepted if this information is what you needed.

[YaBoiB · Accepted solution]

Hello,
My name is Brandon. Thanks for joining the Zoom Community! I can work with our team to determine the wording of this message. In the Zoom Blog we have attempted to inform our customers with how to use the new PWA client. Please see this reference https://blog.zoom.us/how-to-use-zoom-on-a-chromebook/ we also have support articles about this new change listed at support.zoom.us that you can find references as well. 

[Lis2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Brandon,

Thanks for your reply and for the info support articles, that helps 🙂

[PastorT · Accepted solution]

Hi,

This PWA has very bad reviews.  Is it possible to just continue to use the web option (not the Chrome app).

Thank you!

Tom

[Bort · Accepted solution]

Hi @Lis2 

I actually handle the release notes for both the ChromeOS app and the new PWA (Progressive Web App), so I can explain this for you. 

In mid-2020, the Google team responsible for creating ChromeOS apps, aka apps designed to work on Chromebooks, decided they were moving away from this style of app and would be phasing them out over the next couple of years. They finally made a decision to end support for all of these old style ChromeOS apps in June of this year. You can read more about that here: https://blog.chromium.org/2020/08/changes-to-chrome-app-support-timeline.html

Zoom's response to this was to shift our focus away from the ChromeOS app and instead work more on the web client, in order to make it better and serve as a replacement for the ChromeOS app. This new style of app, a Progressive Web App, works directly in the Chrome web browser, rather than a dedicated app on the Chromebook. 

Both can still be used right now, but after June, the old ChromeOS app will no longer be available and Chromebooks will only have the PWA as an option. Currently the PWA/web client already has more features than the ChromeOS app had and will continue to be supported for many years to come. 

Hope that helps and please make sure to mark the solution as accepted if this information is what you needed.

[Lis2]

Hi Bort,

Thank you so much for replying...that is a huge relief to hear I can still use my Chromebook after June for Zoom!

[PastorT · Accepted solution]

Hi,

This PWA has very bad reviews.  Is it possible to just continue to use the web option (not the Chrome app).

Thank you!

Tom

[Lis2]

Hi Tom,

Thanks so much for your reply...I hadn't even thought about that, and it sounds like that may be a very simple solution. I have been using the PWA, and there are definitely some odd things about it...thanks again!

Lisa

[Dutchie74]

Hi Bort, my technical English is not that great🙄 but if I understand it correctly: as long as you have downloaded the PWA, there will be no problems after June? I only use zoom to join my Greek classes (I get an invitation by email). 

[jharcler]

We realized yesterday that the Chromebook in our Sunday School classroom reached "end of life" last September.  We can no longer install updates and we received the message about the Zoom app no longer being supported after June.  Is there a way we can continue to use our Chromebook for Zoom after June or do we need to invest in a new Chromebook/device?

[jmlillard]

Bort when I go to upload PWA I get this message that "This app is not available for your device", My advice is an ASUS Chromebook.  And yet, zooms message is that i must update to PWA to use zoom in June. Please advise. 

[cdobey]

I tried to install the Zoom PWA and it said that it is not available for my device.  Is it because I have a Lenovo chromebbok which is running 32-bit? My version of Chrome is Version 101.0.4951.59 (Official Build) (32-bit).   Do I need to buy a new Chromebook in order to run the Zoom PWA?

Thanks.

[YaBoiB · Accepted solution]

Hello,
My name is Brandon. Thanks for joining the Zoom Community! I can work with our team to determine the wording of this message. In the Zoom Blog we have attempted to inform our customers with how to use the new PWA client. Please see this reference https://blog.zoom.us/how-to-use-zoom-on-a-chromebook/ we also have support articles about this new change listed at support.zoom.us that you can find references as well. 

[Lis2 · Accepted solution]

Hi Brandon,

Thanks for your reply and for the info support articles, that helps 🙂

[YaBoiB]

Thank you for your response. Could you please click on the accepted solution button in the bottom right corner?

[PastorT · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Contrary to what I originally wrote, it seems as though the web option requires use of the Chrome App OR the PWA.  If you do not use one of those, you cannot use Zoom on a Chromebook.

Yes?

Thank you.

Tom

[YaBoiB]

Hello @PastorT, 

 Yes, that is a correct statement. 

[Lis2]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for clarifying that. Now I'm wondering if the PWA will have improvements made to it over time?

Best,

Lisa