Google is shoving its apps onto new Windows laptops

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Google’s new Essentials app will be preinstalled on new HP laptops and is coming to more Windows PCs later.

By Umar Shakir, a news writer fond of the electric vehicle lifestyle and things that plug in via USB-C. He spent over 15 years in IT support before joining The Verge.

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Google logo in center with all its app icons, like Sheets, Messages, Photos, Drive, Nearby Share, Docs, and Google One, all floating around

Image: Google

Google is making a new desktop app called Essentials that packages a few Google services, like Messages and Photos, and includes links to download many others. The app will be included with many new Windows laptops, with the first ones coming from HP.

The Essentials app lets you “discover and install many of our best Google services,” according to Google’s announcement, and lets you browse Google Photos as well as send and receive Google Messages in the app. A full list of apps has not yet been announced, but Google’s announcement art showcases icons including Google Sheets, Google Drive, Nearby Share, and Google One (a two-month free trial is offered through Essentials for new subscribers).

HP will start including Google Essentials across its computer brands, like Envy, Pavilion, Omen, and more. Google says you’re “in control of your experience” and can uninstall any part of Essentials or the whole thing. It’s not yet clear whether you’ll be able to download the app to your current PC, in case you’re into Google-ifying your Windows experience.

Essentials also includes Google’s Play Games app that lets you download popular Android games like Clash of Clans onto your computer. You can access Google Play Games through the Essentials app (or even the HP Omen Gaming Hub app), play games, and continue your progress on an Android device with compatible games.

Google says that it will bring Essentials to other Windows PCs in the future. The Verge has requested more information from both HP and Google.

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