While Google denied back in June that Chrome OS is coming to Android, the company is now said to be working on a full migration after all.
According to a recent report, Google is now said to be working on a full migration from Chrome OS to Android after all. The move is intended to accelerate AI innovation, simplify engineering and provide better collaboration between Chromebooks and other devices.
Fighting the iPad
In June, Google announced that ChromeOS would adopt parts of the Android stack. Android Authority’s report states that Google is “working on the full migration of Chrome OS to Android. A full migration to Android may mean changes to the desktop experience, such as better support for windows, external monitors, and keyboard and mouse. According to the report, future Chromebooks would then come with Android by default.
Google reportedly sees this as an opportunity to finally take on the iPad. Although iPad OS is more user-friendly than traditional operating systems, the device itself remains more expensive. Chromebooks actually position themselves in a lower price segment, making them more attractive to schools and budget-conscious consumers.
Google has reportedly been working for years on an open source operating system that would run on different systems.
Fuchsia, an open source project with its own “zircon” kernel, is designed to bring Android and Chrome OS together, but according to Google, it is much more than that. It runs on a variety of devices, from smart home applications to laptops, but is not yet ready for everyday use. Google stresses that Fuchsia is not intended as a replacement for Android or Chrome OS, but as a state-of-the-art system that supports new form factors such as wearables and AR/VR devices.
Exactly how Google will market the transition from Chrome OS to Android, and whether it will actually happen, is still unclear.