Google is aiming to bring Windows-based legacy apps to the browser without the latency baggage.

Cameyo by Google leverages Cameyo’s virtual app delivery (VAD) platform – as acquired by the tech giant last year – to deliver full legacy Windows and Linux applications as web-accessible apps without requiring a full virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). This effectively means users can run Windows-based apps such as AutoCAD and even SAP ERP instances on their Chrome browsers.

This is made possible by VAD technology, where something like SAP GUI for Windows is streamed in Chrome or processed as a progressive web app (PWA). This is different from VDI tech, which creates a resource-heavy virtual desktop dependent on VPN usage.

Alternatives such as AppStream from Amazon Web Services (AWS), VMware Horizon, and Nutanix offer similar wares, alongside SAP compatibility, but often do not run on a purely app-based basis.

With Cameyo, Google is reflecting enterprises migrating to secure enterprise browsers (SEBs) that are built to secure web-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps.

This leads to an “app gap” issue, with Forrester reporting 50% of client-based applications run entirely outside the browser level.

SAP has sought to remedy this for its own users through the browser-based Fiori interface of its cloud ERP solution. Research from Gartner suggested many SAP users still haven’t made the move from on-premises to cloud, possibly implying many are using the GUI Windows interface that SAP created.

Google’s Cameyo may offer a solution to those wanting to use SAP on Chrome, with the promise of AI via Google’s Gemini copilot, which rivals AI models such as Microsoft’s Copilot and SAP’s Joule.

“Thanks to Gemini in Chrome, all of your legacy apps now have the power of AI layered on top,” Rob Beard, product manager for Cameyo by Google, explained.

14/11: This piece was updated to reflect licensing requirements for the Cameyo service.