Google’s Chrome OS has been a computing mainstay and a genuine mainstream alternative to Windows and macOS for over a decade now, but according to a new report, the software underpinning the titular Chromebooks might be going away.
An Android Authority source says Google is planning to “migrate Chrome OS fully over to Android” with the overarching goal of enabling Google to compete with Apple’s iPad. It could also enable Google to more efficiently manage its software.
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The source said this is a multi-year project with Google targeting, in the reporter’s words, “a platform that finally bests the iPad.” That also raises the possibility once again of Google rebooting its laptop line, this time running off Android rather than the Chrome OS.
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The report comes on the same day Android Headlines reports Google is working on a high-end laptop under the Pixel name. That report says this machine will “likely run on Chrome OS, though that is not 100% confirmed right”. Could the reported desktop version of Android power this machine? Or might the fabled Android laptop come further down the line?
While that remains unclear, a second Android Authority report suggests Google will launch a second generation Pixel Tablet that’d be powered by a new Tensor chip and, this time, with a keyboard case similar to those offered by Apple with most iPad models. That, like its predecessor, will run on Android, but might it be a new tablet/desktop optimised version of Android that’s better equipped to match the iPad.
In June this year Google revealed that ChromeOS will “soon be developed on large portions of the Android stack.” However, a full merger with the potential for Chrome OS to go away completely, was not foreseen.
Hey Google! Killing Chromebooks would be a mistake
There have been a few steps towards making Chrome OS more like Android in recent years. The access to the Google Play Store and the ability to run Android apps are chief among them. That’s considered helpful.
However, I wouldn’t be too quick to cast aside Chrome OS completely in favour of Android. The former is still loved as a lightweight, web-based operating system that doesn’t require a lot of hardware power to provide a good experience for lots of common productivity tasks like word processing, web browsing and emailing.
That’s enabled a good experience on low cost laptops that Windows and macOS doesn’t and has never offered effectively. I’d warn against taking that away by going all-in on Android with a more app-based approach that stuffs in higher-end specs to serve other needs.
