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Report: Google Merging Chrome OS Into Android to Rival iPad

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Google is working on a multi-year project to fully migrate Chrome OS to Android as part of an effort to better compete with Apple's iPad, according to a new report from Android Authority citing an internal source at the company.

google-chromebook-lifestyle-shot.jpeg

The initiative would apparently see future Chromebook devices shipping with a desktop-optimized version of Android rather than Chrome OS, which would be a major shift in Google's operating system strategy. Google announced in June 2024 that Chrome OS would begin incorporating portions of Android's technical foundation, but the reported plans go much further toward a complete merger of the two platforms.

Google is already laying groundwork for the transition by developing a new version of Chrome for Android with extension support and a Terminal application for running Linux apps. The company is also working on improved keyboard, mouse, and external display support for Android, along with features like multiple desktop spaces.

The consolidation aims to create a more unified platform that can better challenge Apple's dominance in the high-end tablet market while allowing Google to more efficiently manage its development resources. Currently, neither Chrome OS nor Android has successfully competed with iPad, despite the multitasking shortcomings of iPadOS.

The report notes that the strategy could also benefit the Android ecosystem by expanding its user base and making it more attractive to developers. Meanwhile, a separate report from Android Headlines suggests Google is developing a high-end Pixel-branded laptop, which could potentially showcase the new desktop-oriented Android platform.

Google has not officially confirmed plans to phase out Chrome OS in favor of Android, and the company declined to comment on the report when contacted by Android Authority.

Article Link: Report: Google Merging Chrome OS Into Android to Rival iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/19/google-merging-chrome-os-android-rival-ipad/
So, Chrome OS is relatively successful in the simple, inexpensive laptop segment where netbooks once reigned (terror), and in Education.

OTOH, Android tablets are mostly a failure for anything other than media consumption at the low-end, they are not used for productivity or creation.

And Google’s solution is to replace the successful case (the mostly lightweight Chrome OS), with the failed, Android tablet (heavier, chunky) one?

All the advantages of a light linux-based experience vs all the baggage of Android. Just as an example: a good Chromebook runs reasonably decent with 4-8 GB of RAM, while an Android tablet requires 12 GB to make anything productivity oriented / multitasking.
 
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I don't quite understand why.

Google don't make much of their profits form hardware but instead by hoovering up browsing data, relardless of platform.

Surely Google would be better off pointing out you can make a decent Google tablet by buying an iPad and replacing all the default apps?
 
Plutonius said:
Wasn't there a story earlier about wanting to force Google to sell Chrome for anti-trust reasons.

I doubt that tying Chrome to android would be looked on as favorable in an anti-trust trial.
Click to expand...
Chrome is already shipping with Android and a big part of why it has its market share.

Chrome OS isn't really Chrome. It's just a name of an operating system built around Chrome. I don't think it's under any special antitrust scrutiny and it's very plausible for it to continue existing (sans the name) if Chrome were to be sold. Chromium is open source.
 
Ctrlos said:
Google don't make much of their profits form hardware but instead by hoovering up browsing data, relardless of platform.

Surely Google would be better off pointing out you can make a decent Google tablet by buying an iPad and replacing all the default apps?
Click to expand...
The problem is that Apple would have full control over their business. They wouldn't even give people the option to change the default apps without regulation. They can decide which business models work in the App Store and could look down privacy even further.

The whole reason Android exists is because they didn't want Apple to have that leverage over their business.
 
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apparatchik said:
So, Chrome OS is relatively successful in the simple, inexpensive laptop segment where netbooks once reigned (terror), and in Education.

OTOH, Android tablets are mostly a failure for anything other than media consumption at the low-end, they are not used for productivity or creation.

And Google’s solution is to replace the successful case (the mostly lightweight Chrome OS), with the failed, Android tablet (heavier, chunky) one?

All the advantages of a light linux-based experience vs all the baggage of Android. Just as an example: a good Chromebook runs reasonably decent with 4-8 GB of RAM, while an Android tablet requires 12 GB to make anything productivity oriented / multitasking.
Click to expand...
Let's be honest, high end iPad's are mostly for media consumption as well. I know I'll hear it from "content creators" or "influencers" who "make their living on an iPad", however creating anything on an iPad Pro is tedious at best (email, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, iMovie, GarageBand, etc.), and impossible for stuff like software development, Fusion 360, PrusaSlicer, transcoding video such as DVD/Blu-rays etc.

Yes, there are unique situations where the iPad excels, but let's be honest, those are few and far between. That's all on Apple for putting a phone OS on a tablet. For anyone who does work, you need a Mac well over 98% of the time, if not more.
 
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ChromeOS is perfect for my children. I never have to do any technical support. If the laptop gets destroyed they just log into another one and all their stuff is there. It also has excellent parental controls - I can bring up an app on my phone to approve them using their respective laptops. Both of their schools use Google for Education so all their textbooks and various learning apps are easily accessible.

I paid $215 each at Target for two ASUS 14" FHD Chromebook Plus CX34 - Intel Core i3 - 8GB RAM - 128GB Storage. Nothing is stored locally. Nice keyboard, trackpad, IPS display, an integrated webcam shutter, USB-C charging - really one of our best tech purchases. Hope they don't stray too much from ChromeOS as it exists now.
 
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Kissmo1980 said:
Thank you Macrumors.... I had a rough day and I needed a laugh.

Rival the iPad - Chrome...... that's the part.
Click to expand...
iPads are getting pricier and the cheapest one with a keyboard costs three times a ChromeBook.
It is surely a much better device but lame ChromeBooks may be good enough for 99% of iPad's use cases. Many people just need something to browse the internet that's bigger than a phone.
With a better strategy, Google has a lot of room to compete.
 
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djc6 said:
ChromeOS is perfect for my children. I never have to do any technical support. If the laptop gets destroyed they just log into another one and all their stuff is there. It also has excellent parental controls - I can bring up an app on my phone to approve them using their respective laptops. Both of their schools use Google for Education so all their textbooks and various learning apps are easily accessible.

I paid $215 each at Target for two ASUS 14" FHD Chromebook Plus CX34 - Intel Core i3 - 8GB RAM - 128GB Storage. Nothing is stored locally. Nice keyboard, trackpad, IPS display, an integrated webcam shutter, USB-C charging - really one of our best tech purchases. Hope they don't stray too much from ChromeOS as it exists now.
Click to expand...

I've been generally impressed with ChromeOS. My parents have a Asus Chromebox attached to a 27" monitor (great for aging eyes) with a full keyboard and mouse. They don't do anything, whatsoever, on a computer that is outside of a browser, and they don't want a smaller touchscreen device like the iPad. ChromeOS also has user accounts, unlike iPad.

It reduced my tech support from weekly to zero.
 
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cicalinarrot said:
iPads are getting pricier and the cheapest one with a keyboard costs three times a ChromeBook.
It is surely a much better device but lame ChromeBooks may be good enough for 99% of iPad's use cases. Many people just need something to browse the internet that's bigger than a phone.
With a better strategy, Google has a lot of room to compete.
Click to expand...
I don't doubt what you say for a second.
And to be honest, when someone says Rival - they probably need to define in what area.
Because price is the factor here.
There is no way in terms of quality and price they can do that. They will end up with an expensive device to rival iPad.

On another hand, is that even a rivalry? I mean, iPad is not for very low cost - obviously - even at the lower tiers.
So rivalry - makes sense when you play in the same league - that is what makes it funny - at least for the time being in the current state of things.
 
ChromeOS is full desktop browser with extensions first and crapplets second while Android, like iPadOS, is crapplets first and second class mobile browser second. Since full desktop browser with uBlock Origin is the best way to experience the internet, stream content and cloud apps are the future, e.g. https://app.diagrams.net/ as alternative to Visio, ChromeOS has replaced Android and iPadOS for me. As long as full desktop browser is first it doesn't really matter if it's called ChromeOS or Android since Linux is the underlying OS of both.
 
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Kissmo1980 said:
I don't doubt what you say for a second.
And to be honest, when someone says Rival - they probably need to define in what area.
Because price is the factor here.
There is no way in terms of quality and price they can do that. They will end up with an expensive device to rival iPad.

On another hand, is that even a rivalry? I mean, iPad is not for very low cost - obviously - even at the lower tiers.
So rivalry - makes sense when you play in the same league - that is what makes it funny - at least for the time being in the current state of things.
Click to expand...
I understand what you say.
To put my point in a different perspective, a Toyota Corolla can't compete with Ferrari but it's not because it is a worse car: it's because nobody would ever say "I wanted to buy I Ferrari but changed my mind and got a Corolla instead".
On the other hand, since as I mentioned most people could use very cheap devices exactly like they use their expensive iPads, someone may actually discover that the cheap one is good enough and stop buying iPads. They do very much play in the same league in this sense.

Actually, that happened to me.
My mother loved her iPad but the CPU just died during a hot summer day, with normal usage. It hasn't lasted a lot so I got pissed and got her a 160€ Samsung tablet and it did all the things she needed just as well. The extra 200€ for an iPad would have been an absolute waste, no matter how good it is.
 
Interested to see how this plays with the US govt wanting Google to step back from Android integrations… Especially when Musk gets his paws in the soup.
 
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