Android & ChromeOS: Google's Plan To Reinvent Your Laptop And Your Phone
Despite initial reports, ChromeOS isn't turning into Android, but it is evolving into an upgraded operating system with Android fundamentals at its core, promising improved performance and, as you might expect, more advanced AI features.
Google ignited speculation last week when Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat told Tech Radar the company will be 'combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform.' The announcement immediately prompted questions about the future of both Chromebooks and Android devices.
Could this move spell the end for ChromeOS as we know it? How would the Education sector, which relies on the simplicity, multi-user capabilities, and inherent security of ChromeOS, adjust to running full-blown Android with its slower update cycles and touch-first app ecosystem?
Android and ChromeOS Won't Merge Completely
However, the truth is that we can expect rather less dramatic changes to either OS, at least in the near future. Samat quickly clarified his statement in a recent tweet, stating:
'Great to see so much interest in this topic! To reiterate what we announced in our 2024 blog post: we're building the ChromeOS experience on top of Android underlying technology to unlock new levels of performance, iterate faster, & make your laptop + phone work better together. I'm excited about it!' — Sameer Samat, President, Android Ecosystem.
The blog post in question explains how Google's ChromeOS development will continue unabated, but will become increasingly reliant on Android underpinnings. This should result in a more unified code base that reduces the workload for developers and streamlines access to AI features, such as Gemini.
More importantly, the company has stated its intention to continue delivering the 'unmatched security, consistent look and feel, and extensive management capabilities that ChromeOS users, enterprises, and schools love.' If Samat intended merely to reiterate these claims, rather than announce a full-scale merger of the two operating systems, then we can be confident that ChromeOS isn't going away any time soon, but there will be a lot more Android under the hood from now on.
What Does Android Code Mean For Budget Chromebooks?
However, this change still raises important questions about how Chromebooks might handle a greater reliance on Android in the future. Google claims the new code base will usher in 'new levels of performance,' but entry-level Chromebooks, costing $250 or less, currently offer much lower hardware specifications than would typically be required for a smooth Android experience. It's not unusual to see ChromeOS devices with just 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, a specification which seems woefully underpowered compared to budget Android devices. It will be interesting to see what effect Google's plans will have on hardware requirements and pricing in the future.
Android Joins ChromeOS: Significant Benefits For Both
It would, of course, be great to see some benefits coming in the other direction, from ChromeOS to Android. For example, Android's emerging desktop mode promises a powerful, large-screen experience for smartphones connected to external displays, but it's a far cry from the mature, polished desktop experience offered by ChromeOS. A shared underlying codebase could accelerate development in this area and significantly improve interactions between laptops and smartphones.
Google adds Linux support to Android with an experimental Terminal app.
The unified codebase could also unlock new features for both platforms: Android apps could run directly on ChromeOS, eliminating the current need for a complex virtual machine layer and providing better performance and greater compatibility. A key benefit of ChromeOS is its ability to support multiple users per device. Adding proper multi-user support to the Android stack would make it easier for Google to bring this capability to Android smartphones and tablets.
ChromeOS can run Steam games, thanks to built-in Linux support.
ChromeOS also offers established support for running Linux apps, and even games on the Steam platform. We've already seen early signs of Linux support in Android via the new Terminal app. Since Linux support is a vital component of ChromeOS, we can now feel confident that this feature will continue to be developed, bringing exciting new opportunities to Android devices.
Imminent changes to Android and ChromeOS may not be as dramatic as we thought, but significant changes are coming that should benefit everyone. Would you want an Android-powered Chromebook?
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