Google reportedly folding Chrome OS into Android

Scorpus

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[Updated] According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Google is planning to combine their two operating systems – Chrome OS and Android – into one unified OS in the near future. The report suggests that because Android is the more dominant of the two OSes in the market, Chrome OS will be folded into Android, keeping the Android brand alive at the expense of Chrome OS.

Due to the branding change, Google would also be updating the name "Chromebooks" to reflect that these devices are now running Android rather than Chrome OS. However in an interesting turn of events, this morning Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google's Senior VP of Android and Chrome OS, took to Twitter to support Chrome OS:

Of course, that is not denying the report of the operating systems merger. What it does is preventing prospective Chromebook buyers from running away if Chrome OS days are numbered. After all, the rumor suggests the release of the new operating system is still several years away and that it will be unveiled and demonstrated at Google I/O in 2016, ahead of a wide release in 2017.

As far as logistics are concerned, Android is expected to be updated so that it can run efficiently and functionally on laptops and desktop computers. Android will probably gain a true desktop environment in the merge, while the inclusion of the Play Store would bring a much more versatile selection of apps to Google's PC operating system.

Folding Chrome OS into Android would place some serious heat on Microsoft and Windows 10, which has been developed to run across a multitude of platforms. Although Windows 10 is a more mature operating system with features for all types of use cases, Android, with its vast app catalog and dominance on smartphones, could become a worthy challenger.

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Well, they were the first ones to figure out the connection...

"Folding Chrome OS into Android would place some serious heat on Microsoft and Windows 10, which has been developed to run across a multitude of platforms. Although Windows 10 is a much more mature operating system with features for all types of use cases, Android, with its vast app catalog and dominance on smartphones, could become a worthy challenger."

I don't think Windows 10 is that mature and nobody wants an OS whose claim to fame is compromising its capabilities in order to run on anything. Its a safe bet that Android for PC will be a fair bit different from the mobile version..that's where the code from ChromeOS figures in. Its not really going to be Android on the desktop as much as it will be Android app support - and that's all the consumer really cares about. There will be Android PC apps that won't work on mobile devices - and that's just fine, because you don't need Photoshop or The Witcher 4 on your phone. As for the enterprise, if their guaranteed data privacy and protection along with support for their favorite data infrastructures there's no reason Android for PC can't make some inroads with businesses too. Of course many consumers also want to maintain their privacy, and rightly so. Google would be wise to provide those folks some options.

That "leak" was Google telling nervous Microsoft investors that their ready to step up and replace the floundering giant on ALL platforms. Can they do it? Sure, once they've poached enough Microsoft engineers to build in reasonable compatibility for legacy Windows apps. If Microsoft is smart they'll take the threat seriously and get cracking on Windows 11: We're Sorry Edition. They've squandered all their customer goodwill with their "permanent beta" OS that has nothing a desktop PC users wants or needs.
 
"The Witcher 4"
psycros, what are you trying to say?? Or are you just teasing us? :p
 
Dumbell again. As you see, batman on windows 10 takes 12 gig with the oses comboed. My android apps will probably require 128 bit architecture to run.
 
Well, they were the first ones to figure out the connection...

"Folding Chrome OS into Android would place some serious heat on Microsoft and Windows 10, which has been developed to run across a multitude of platforms. Although Windows 10 is a much more mature operating system with features for all types of use cases, Android, with its vast app catalog and dominance on smartphones, could become a worthy challenger."

I don't think Windows 10 is that mature and nobody wants an OS whose claim to fame is compromising its capabilities in order to run on anything. Its a safe bet that Android for PC will be a fair bit different from the mobile version..that's where the code from ChromeOS figures in. Its not really going to be Android on the desktop as much as it will be Android app support - and that's all the consumer really cares about. There will be Android PC apps that won't work on mobile devices - and that's just fine, because you don't need Photoshop or The Witcher 4 on your phone. As for the enterprise, if their guaranteed data privacy and protection along with support for their favorite data infrastructures there's no reason Android for PC can't make some inroads with businesses too. Of course many consumers also want to maintain their privacy, and rightly so. Google would be wise to provide those folks some options.

That "leak" was Google telling nervous Microsoft investors that their ready to step up and replace the floundering giant on ALL platforms. Can they do it? Sure, once they've poached enough Microsoft engineers to build in reasonable compatibility for legacy Windows apps. If Microsoft is smart they'll take the threat seriously and get cracking on Windows 11: We're Sorry Edition. They've squandered all their customer goodwill with their "permanent beta" OS that has nothing a desktop PC users wants or needs.
Pray tell, what is it that desktop pc users need? I'm quite happy with my win10 installation.
 
Pray tell, what is it that desktop pc users need? I'm quite happy with my win10 installation.

I read that as "If this new OS can just do what Windows already does superbly then sure np cause Google is pure and Microsoft the Devil.". Especially since he cited privacy as a Google feature.
 
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