I sent a feedback report about 10 minutes ago which includes a screenshot of the shelf along the bottom of the screen.

This issue also occurs on my Pixelbook.

Hi there, I have also evaluated this on your other feedback and the bug.
This is intended behavior for when you are in tablet mode.

The shelf contains important navigation items (back button, overview, launcher) which user needs to be able to access. In addition, apps rely on only resizing vertical space, which can cause apps to break if we move to shelf on the side for tablets.

There are many more reasons, including how users can swipe from shelf to open their launcher (app list). I am sorry this is not to your liking, but the shelf should always be on the bottom of the screen when you're in tablet mode.

Can you please tell me where this new behavior is being discussed?  I haven't had one issue due to the shelf being hidden on the right, with apps going into tablet mode and breaking.  If I want to access the important navigation items, I know where they are and get at them by swiping the shelf into view.

I did have an issue with the new behavior, running the Android app Squid for drawing, where my palm was resting on the shelf at the bottom of the screen (instead of on the right where it used to be), and caused the settings tray to be displayed while I was trying to draw.

The only way to make an app full screen in tablet mode is to hide the shelf by swiping it away, since the keyboard is inactive.  Will you continue to be able to swipe the shelf away with this new behavior?

Since research reveals that many Chromebook users have been adversely affected by the Chrome OS development team's decision to force the shelf to be in 'Bottom' position in Tablet Mode (and in Tent and Entertainment modes, too), I have compiled a comprehensive campaigning Issue Report, asking the Chrome OS development to undo this regressive, freedom-limiting restriction, by restoring our 'Left' and 'Right' shelf position options to Chrome OS Tablet Mode:

● 'Prior Tablet Mode Shelf Position "Bug Fix" Seriously Degrades Chromebook UX', 03 Mar 2018
» https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=818423
— contains links to six related Issue Reports, and copies of 12 other end user complaints regarding the detrimental effects of restricting shelf position in Tablet & Tent & Entertainment Modes to 'Bottom' only.

If you too would appreciate the restoration of the 'Left' and 'Right' shelf position options to Tablet & Tent & Entertainment Modes, then please:
1. click on the link above,
2. scroll down to the bottom of the Issue Report webpage, and
3. click on the star, to 'Vote for this issue and get email change notifications';
4. optionally, do please also add a comment of your own, maybe describing how the new, forced, 'Bottom'-only shelf position imposition adversely affects your own use of Chrome OS.

Thanks in advance for your help in restoring user-determined shelf position freedom to Chrome OS Tablet Mode.

See also:

● 'Why Can I No Longer Choose Shelf Position in Tablet Mode?', 01 Mar 2018
» https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/pixelbook/8XXiGakpREA
— an issue discussion thread in the Google Product Forums.

My thanks to omrilio@chromium.org for consolidating the nine Chrome OS Tablet Mode shelf-related issue trackers which I identified (plus my own) into a new meta-issue-tracker:
● 'Investigate improvements to shelf on tablet mode', 09 Mar 2018
» https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=820368
(caveat: this one issue tracker is yet to be consolidated there; hopefully, that's just a soon-to-be corrected oversight)

If, like me and many other Chromebook users, you too would appreciate the restoration of the 'Left' and 'Right' shelf position options to Tablet & Tent & Entertainment Modes, or if you are experiencing other Tablet Mode shelf-related problems, then please:
1. click on the link above,
2. scroll down to the bottom of omrilio's Meta-Issue-Tracker webpage, and
3. click on the star, to 'Vote for this issue and get email change notifications';
4. optionally, do please also add a comment of your own, maybe describing how the new, forced, 'Bottom'-only shelf position imposition adversely affects your own use of Chrome OS, or supplying additional useful diagnostic info, such as specific details about how use of a particular app is hindered by the shelf.

Thanks in advance for your help in restoring user-determined shelf position freedom to Chrome OS Tablet Mode.

See also:

● 'Why Can I No Longer Choose Shelf Position in Tablet Mode?'
— an issue discussion thread in the Google Product Forums, 01 Mar 2018
» https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/pixelbook/8XXiGakpREA

● 'Chrome OS: Tablet Mode Shelf-Related Issue Trackers'
– shared Google Sheets spreadsheet, 11 Mar 2018
» https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16XSTb96nJlWYlOhs3dPlLqiCdll4vdM1yxVZHMvCt3M/edit?usp=sharing