Update: October 2021 - Chrome apps live on
Chromium Project announces that Chrome apps will be supported until at least January 2025.
Read the latest Chromium Blog Entry here
Original deprecation notice: August 2020
As you may have read here Chrome Apps were due to be deprecated in June 2022.
This announcement caused concern amongst the Chrome & Chromebook user and admin community.
For some vendors, there was no viable alternative to Chrome Apps and we were glad to welcome the announcement in October 2021.
The August 2020 blog post was superseded by the October 2021 announcement.
directprint.io Strategy: Apps vs Extensions
Don't worry, directprint.io has a migration strategy in place for all Chrome and ChromeOS customers using our Chrome App.
Firstly, Chrome Extensions will continue to be supported in Chrome and ChromeOS for the foreseeable future.
The directprint.io Client is already available as an Extension, it's currently hidden on the Chrome Web Store to avoid confusion between the App and Extension versions.
The current status of the Extension is that it supports all directprint.io functions except:
- No Socket printing (socket:// printer URIs)
- No LPD printing (lpd:// printer URIs)
- No discovery of printers in the printer Wizard for Admins
The current Extension API set is limited, we are working with Google to ensure that the Extension has functional equivalence with Apps in time for June 2022 January 2025.
Current deployment options:
IPP only
If you are using exclusively IPP printing you are welcome to migrate to the Extension version of the directprint.io client for Chrome and ChromeOS.
The Extension will automatically update to include socket and LPD support when the API set evolves.
Please email support@directprint.io requesting access to the Extension, we will send you the full URL and the Extension ID of the Extension for use either as self-install or force install via Google Workspace.
Socket and LPD printers/ queues
For customer using Socket or LPD printing: We suggest that you hold off migrating to the Extension version until it is functionally equivalent with the App version.
Communication plan:
When the extension is functionally equivalent to the App version the directprint.io downloads page https://directprint.io/admin/knowledge/downloads will be updated to include a link to the new Extension.
We will also post a message to all customers and trialists informing them of the readiness to switch over.
The page was last updated in Feb 2022 and will continue to be updated through January 2025.