chrome.serial API : replaced by WebUSB, opened up to extensions, or dead along with packaged apps?

[wayfarer]

As I'm sure nearly everyone here knows, packaged apps are going away (https://blog.chromium.org/2016/08/from-chrome-apps-to-web.html).

One of the unique things that packaged apps offered was the ability to access the USB port of a user's computer via the chrome.serial API (https://developer.chrome.com/apps/serial). This was extremely helpful for those of us interfacing hardware with the web. It seems to me that Google could 'just open up' the API to Chrome Extensions, but I can't find any information that they're leaning one way or the other.

Does anyone have insight as to why the chrome.serial API may be made available to extensions or why it would die with packaged apps in 2017 / 2018? Does anyone know how I can stay up-to-date on the status of a certain API?

Thanks very much!

P.S. I'm familiar with (but still learning about) WebUSB (https://wicg.github.io/webusb/). It looks cool, but I'm looking for info pertaining to chrome.serial, not alternatives.

[Jon Perryman]

Allowing hardware exposure (especially things like USB) can be a security exposure. I suspect that that google realized that USB has become extremely popular in implementing new technologies and without analyzing eve ry USB device available, they could not say webUSB is secure. Look at how google has locked down android and you will realize how insecure chrome could be.

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[paa123456]

Google already offers api for some devices like - serial, usb, network. Here is the usb api -
https://developer.chrome.com/apps/app_usb

As for the security - obsessing over it and placing restrictions are sure way to obscurity.
If offered a dual boot tablet - ubuntu and android, which os would the user will be using more?

Paul.

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[wayfarer]

Paul,

I agree that Google has already set a precedent for allowing the web to access USB devices, but I'm curious what they'll do after packaged apps are no longer supported. As far as I know, packaged apps are the only way to use the USB API you linked to. 

Do you know any alternatives for Google extensions?

[paa123456]

Yes, on a closer look it seems that the serial, usb, network... api provided to chrome is only within the context of a chrome app.
If such apps on the desktop os-es are discontinued than accessing devices can  be done in the normal way - having a desktop program which calls drivers or uses low level api-s and doing sockets handling, and not through a browser.

Paul.