Merging of Chrome OS into Android by Google

 Google is allegedly ‘fully migrating Chrome OS over to Android’  

Back in June, Google announced ChromeOS would adopt “portions of the Android stack.” A report says that Google is “working on fully migrating Chrome OS over to Android.” Google is apparently busy working on merging Android and Chrome OS. Specifically, the company is trying to "turn Chrome OS into Android" for the sake of competing with the iPad. From the announcement earlier this year, Google said ChromeOS will be using the Android Linux kernel and Android frameworks. One example of this is ChromeOS using Android’s Bluetooth stack. In terms of why, Google said this will “accelerate the pace of AI innovation at the core of ChromeOS, simplify engineering efforts, and help different devices like phones and accessories work better together with Chromebooks.”

That doesn't make a lot of sense, but a lot of things Google does from time to time don't, so it doesn't mean it's not true. An unnamed source says Google plans to "migrate Chrome OS fully over to Android", whatever that means. Back in June Google announced that Chrome OS would start using parts of Android, but this report now claims the merger will go even deeper than that. We still don't understand how this will make Google better compete with the iPad. iPads run iPadOS, basically an offshoot of iOS with some tablet-specific features. Google could have added such tablet-specific features to Android over the past few years. How exactly is Chrome OS going to help? Chrome OS is an OS designed for cheap laptops. iPads are expensive tablets, do you get this? In short, from what has officially been shared, ChromeOS will look more like Android under-the-hood. At the time, Google said that it will “continue to deliver the unmatched security, consistent look and feel, and extensive management capabilities that ChromeOS users, enterprises and schools love.” That line about “consistent look and feel” would suggest the ChromeOS UI/UX will be mostly unchanged. 

When it's done, future Chromebooks will run the new Android that integrates Chrome OS. Or something like that. Earlier today a rumor said Google is working on a Pixel laptop, and that could run this new Android/Chrome OS mashup. Today’s Android Authority report would suggest that Google, at some point, decided to take things a step further. “Fully migrating” implies that the end user ChromeOS experience (desktop, launcher, etc.) will be changing. The article points to desktop windowing, external monitor, and better keyboard and mouse support as being “part of Google’s internal Android-on-laptop project.” 

According to reports available, Google “wants future ‘Chromebooks’ to ship with the Android OS in the future.” How Google ultimately markets these changes remains to be seen. Today’s piece also spends a lot of time framing this move as Google wanting an iPad competitor: “the end result could be a platform that finally bests the iPad.” While the iPad is arguably more user-friendly than desktop operating systems, it isn’t necessarily a fully realized competitor. At the very least, it’s more expensive than Chromebooks, with Google finding clear excess at price points below Apple’s tablet. Anyway, this is apparently a multi-year project so don't expect anything to come out of it soon.