Google Plans To Combine ChromeOS and Android Into Single Platform 71
Google will merge ChromeOS and Android into a unified platform, according to Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem at Google. "We're going to be combining ChromeOS and Android into a single platform, and I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they're getting done," Samat said during a recent interview.
Looks at Windows 8 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Looks at Windows 8 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Looks at Windows 8 (Score:5, Interesting)
ChromeOS was already "barely enough Linux to run a web browser" with just the most crappy minimalist window management and a concession to let you run Linux applications in a container.
So compared to the typical android experience, you have a lack of Window management (but Android does have a desktop mode with ChromeOS level window management, which isn't much) and container execution (which Google has added to Android in the AVF thing they have been spouting.
This actually makes a ton of sense the only thing that didn't make sense was how long they tried to keep ChromeOS and Android separate.
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ChromeOS was already "barely enough Linux to run a web browser" with just the most crappy minimalist window management and a concession to let you run Linux applications in a container.
So compared to the typical android experience, you have a lack of Window management (but Android does have a desktop mode with ChromeOS level window management, which isn't much) and container execution (which Google has added to Android in the AVF thing they have been spouting.
This actually makes a ton of sense the only thing that didn't make sense was how long they tried to keep ChromeOS and Android separate.
This.
Chrome isn't a full blown general purpose OS like Windows or Linux, it was designed to be a limited OS for low powered hardware. Also it's not been very successful so it makes sense to roll it into the Android project.
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Chome ... not been very successful so it makes sense to roll it into the Android project.
By what measure is it not successful?
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Chome ... not been very successful so it makes sense to roll it into the Android project.
By what measure is it not successful?
Not big on reading are you? I didn't say it wasn't successful. .
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Maybe you mis typed or omitted something and didn't realize it? He quoted you directly: "Also it's not been very successful so it makes sense to roll it into the Android project." His reading of your comment was pretty straightforward.. My best guess is you meant it wasn't successful at being any more minimalist than Android, since it had Android runtime, you might have had to sweat local storage, and you had ability to run full on debian in container. They got the 'drawbacks' of Android while still being
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Thanks! You said that much more politely than I would have :-)
Also, I'm pretty sure they meant successful in the traditional sense of market share and profitability - but they're just wrong then.
Re: Looks at Windows 8 (Score:1)
Found the guy who has never used Android on desktop. You know you can download it for free and try it out, right?
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Actually if I connect right now my Android phone to monitor/mouse/keyboard, the resulting interface is much better than Windows 8.
Fuchsia? (Score:5, Insightful)
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Surprised this wasn't the #1 comment.
There is something about unifying the code-base that every company continually tries but never quite succeeds at.
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This isn't really unification though, because Chrome OS only supports two kinds of apps: Progressive web apps, and Android apps. I.e. it's a web browser and Android subsystem, built on top of a minimal Linux.
Android recently ditched support for progressive web apps, and is also built on top of a minimal Linux.
So they are already 90% the same thing. From an app's point of view they are exactly the same. Most of the work will probably be around managing the transition from running Chrome OS to running a build
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So they are already 90% the same thing. From an app's point of view they are exactly the same.
In theory, that sounds right. However, IME with Chromebooks, Android apps feel like second class citizens. There are some that behave OK, but many that feel awkward and have weird window limitations, and some don't work at all. Furthermore, the underlying Android VM/layer can get into a broken state and all Android apps stop responding (this has happened to me multiple times - enough that I now avoid running Android apps on them whenever possible).
Linux apps have the same problems as Android apps on a Chrom
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Sure, but Google doesn't need it to be better than it is today, just the same or better. I imagine that most Chromebooks will primarily run Chrome and nothing else.
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They don't really need to unify anything. What they need to do is add a few bits and bobs to Android to make it provide a Chrome OS-like experience, and just throw ChromeOS away. Maybe they will find some use in some of the resources used around booting, or some drivers, but the latter thing is mostly already in Android.
Literally the only reason ChromeOS exists at all is that Chrome for Android wasn't very good at the time, and they needed an OS which could run the desktop version of Chrome. ChromeOS and An
Re:Fuchsia? (Score:5, Informative)
What can ChromeOS do, that Android cannot do? (Score:1)
Maybe just tweak Android a little to run better on laptops?
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Think that's likely pretty much the plan. They have added desktop mode and blessed ways of running Linux containers to Android, and with that they've pretty much caught up with the things ChromeOS could do that you typically didn't see happen in Android.
Re:What can ChromeOS do, that Android cannot do? (Score:5, Informative)
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Good but Android problems still remains (Score:5, Insightful)
It's a bit silly to have this fragmentation, those two OSs seem to overlap each other like 80% of the time, the decision of which to use always felt a bit arbitrary.
Now if Google could solve the actual Android problem which is wresting control of OS updates away from the device manufacturers and OEMs and demanding standardized bootloaders or whatever we need to treat ARM devices like phones and tablets like the BIOS/UEFI devices we know and love. My phones ability to from Android 12 to 13 should not be the decision of whether Samsung or LG or whoever decides they want to devote resources to it. This is coming from a decade long Android user but that's precisely why I only use Pixel phones now.
We can make the comparisons to Windows but my Windows Updates don't come from Lenovo. Hell 90% of the drivers today don't either.
Re:Good but Android problems still remains (Score:5, Interesting)
A lot of Android people do not want anything to do with chrome because they like privacy. That is what keeps the distinction alive.
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I think they should be aware of how intertwined the two already are. If that's your concern you probably shouldn't be using Android at all much less Android with Google Play services.
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Google could offer 8 years support on Chromebooks because they generally ran on a restricted subset of x86 hardware that they enforced on device makers.
Android runs on anything ARM64 but Google leaves it up to device makers to follow a set of "Project Mainline" guidelines.
Two conflicting models...
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Yup and my opinion is the second model is incredibly stupid and really has just been the bane to consumers and Android users since it's been a thing, I feel like it only existed in that age of Android 1-4 where they had to play ball with the cell carriers who wanted to keep their iron grip on phone software.
It's 2025 and that feels so incredibly silly and we keep it going because "that's the way it's always been" and that seems silly.
If this merged system goes the ChromeOS route for updates the world is a b
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It's 2025 and that feels so incredibly silly and we keep it going because "that's the way it's always been" and that seems silly.
To the extent that the situation you refer to is a problem, it's a problem of market share and the resulting funding for ongoing development of an open source OS. Google's ability to enforce requirements on Android OEMs is limited because the big players or any significant consortium of the smaller players can simply choose to cut ties with Google if Google is too pushy.
Yes, Chrome established a different business model from the outset. Android went a different direction because, rightly or wrongly, it
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I agree it was necessary and made made sense but that was in the 2008 era when carriers still did rule the roost.
Apple never played that game, they went to ATT for an exclusive first (where they could still sell them in Apple stores) and then after that over their terms to the carriers were basically "fuck you" and the carriers said "yes please Mr. Apple" because customers wanted iPhones.
I think today the situation is flipped and the carriers need Android because customers want their Pixels and Galaxies and
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Definitely could be true, it'd be a gamble for both parties but I feel like theres a way for Samsung to keep it's customization and Android systems to be on some sort of unified update protocol.
The bootloader thing, yeah, probably need legislation, which I would do, Day 1, that's a promise!
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ChomeOS can also run most Android Apps. So other than running more Android apps faster or more efficiently the only other goal would seem to be more platform "lock-in."
Re:ChromeOS (Score:4, Insightful)
ChomeOS can also run most Android Apps. So other than running more Android apps faster or more efficiently the only other goal would seem to be more platform "lock-in."
The goal is to reduce engineering effort. Even Google has to consider costs.
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Google just considers cost because it improves their bottom line
Yes, Google is a business, not a charity.
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ChomeOS can also run most Android Apps.
"can run" isn't the same as native support for running them. Before you brush away the VM/container difference, consider that Linux can also run most Windows programs (via Wine, which is more native than the ChromeOS Android implementation as it is not a container nor VM, or via a VM or container).
So other than running more Android apps faster or more efficiently the only other goal would seem to be more platform "lock-in."
There's a LOT more than just running more efficiently. Being able to run without the OS having to fire up a container/VM to support it makes quite a bit of difference.
Curious... how does this equate to more platfo
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It's a Linux distro that runs a browser with sandboxes for Android apps and a Debian environment akin to a WSL2-like runtime. They ported the container stuff to Android as AVF.
So essentially they've had 2 teams maintaining two separate Linux distributions under the hood and they're now sunsetting the Chrome OS dev team.
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Maybe, if this got all folded into Android, they could take a page from QubesOS, and offer containers for different apps and workspaces, so I could be doing stuff for one project, switch to another, and they would be stored completely separate from each other.
This was announced a year ago (Score:5, Informative)
This was announced on June 12, 2024 [chromium.org].
It doesn't mean Android and ChromeOS will share a common UI. Android already supports several distinct user interfaces for different platforms (mobile, wearable, auto, TV), and there's lots of customization even within those spaces. I expect that once the transition is complete, ChromeOS will still look and act much like it does now. It may run Android apps a little better than it does now (though it already runs them fairly well). It'll just share a lot of infrastructure with Android underneath the surface.
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This is the merger of the Chrome OS and Android OS Teams inside Google. (Aka fire everyone involved in Chrome OS except for a few key players who have real value.)
From what I heard, this actually mostly already happened in 2021.
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I think these are two different things. This is the merger of the Chrome OS and Android OS Teams inside Google. (Aka fire everyone involved in Chrome OS except for a few key players who have real value.) From what I heard, this actually mostly already happened in 2021.
No, this is about the merger of the platforms. It probably will eventually result in some reduction in staffing, but it's not happening now, and hasn't happened in any significant way. Both Android and ChromeOS have been relatively untouched by layoffs.
Translation (Score:2)
We need to cut our workforce and save money, so we're letting a whole bunch of guys go (eventually).
"and I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they're getting done,"
This allows us to spy on the same user from different devices (and their family), especially if they're stupid enough to own our multiple channel surveillance tech.
Re: Translation (Score:3)
If layoffs were the endgame, and that was the only thing they wanted out of this, the first thing they'd do is merge the two business units, then restructure its leadership team, then have that team come up with a plan for both projects to merge into one, and eliminate any job roles that are no longer needed.
And they don't appear to have done any of that.
I think it's more likely that with talks of the government forcing them to sell chrome, they probably don't want to also have to give up ChromeOS, which is
Simple (Score:3)
"I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they're getting done"
OK:I just install Linux on it instead then get everything done quicker/easier/better.
Samsung Tried with DEX - Google can get it right? (Score:5, Interesting)
The only way Google takes on Microsoft is with a unified platform that can run anywhere, on anything. Android has massive reach (Chrome books do not). Dropping a new OS on there that can run on laptops, phones, tablets, and even watches from a unified code base would be a new category defining ambient OS new paradigm. This would be the first "post cloud" OS to come out.
If I were Google, my next project would be making it run on anything Windows 11 or Apple can run on and offer an installer to install onto those machines straight away for free.
about time Google - about time.
Re:Samsung Tried with DEX - Google can get it righ (Score:4, Interesting)
Currently they just released a fully developed desktop mode with Android 16 which put Android above Chrome OS for being a "desktop" OS.
Re:Samsung Tried with DEX - Google can get it righ (Score:4, Interesting)
Or how about running it on hardware that CAN'T take Windows 11?
There's gonna be a bunch of Win10 computers becoming 'obsolete' soon.
The fun thing would be how MS responds to this..maybe they'll suddenly have more 'relaxing' standards for Win11 instead of giving Google an easy path into home computers.
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This one more year of support required paying for it, so most users won't buy it.
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I have seen that tried on a few Android devices, even some back in 2010-2011. Oddly enough, having a desktop Linux on a phone worked well enough, assuming a lightweight DE. I was sorry the concept got tanked, but something like this that combines ChromeOS and Android would be quite useful, either for a lightweight PC, or even a decent OS for everyday use.
The best I saw was having Android with its own userland, but also having a Linux root, so apps could just assume they were in a Debian install would work
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Didn't use DEX, but my current Motorola phone and the previous Huawei one, when connected to a monitor/mouse/keyboard turn to usable desktops.
Great idea... (Score:2)
I'd like an OS that works like I want it to on my phone, tablet, desktop, and laptop.
Oh, wait. No I would not.
I don't use a conventional desktop PC any more. I have a Raspberry Pi 5 with an NVMe drive that does adequately, but it's also my home server gadget. RaspiConnect gets me a username desktop if I need another one. Debian ftw.
I also have a VisionFive 2 sbc running another adequate desktop if I need a second independent instance. Debian ftw again... And when this gets an NVMe drive and the RDP lag iss
Didn't they say they were doing this years ago? (Score:2)
?
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Yes. It never made any progress then either.
Foreshadowing? (Score:2)
I am very interested in how people are using their laptops these days and what they're getting done," Samat [President of Android Ecosystem at Google] said during a recent interview.
And how will you/Google know what people are using their ChromeOS/Android laptops for and what they're getting done?
They've been claiming this for nearly a decade (Score:2)
They've been claiming this for nearly a decade and they never make any progress. I do not want ChromeOS running on Java. I'd prefer getting Android getting away from Java. Mostly because Oracle is somehow worse than Microsoft.
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Java has not really anything to do with Oracle.
Unless you buy a Java version from them.
Antitrust klaxons (Score:2)
Antitrust klaxons are ringing at full volume. AOOGA AOOGA AOOGA AOOGA! It's hard to see how google could wave any bigger a red flag at the antitrust bull. Already on corporate death row as a result of its recent conviction, that's just the Americans. Europe will move soon as well. And I would like Canada to take a stand too. So far we have been nice about it, but now... elbows up.
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I don't see how Google reducing the number of Linux distributions they distribute is an antitrust problem.
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It's integrating the browser with the os that is problematic.
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It's integrating the browser with the os that is problematic.
That's not new, though. The whole point of ChromeOS is to deliver Chrome, and Android has a System Webview based on Chrome. They both already have the browser integrated with the OS, so now instead of two such operating systems there will be one.
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And what if I want to use Firefox for my System Webview instead of Chrome? Or Chromium for that matter?
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And what if I want to use Firefox for my System Webview instead of Chrome? Or Chromium for that matter?
Yes, that's a problem, but you're acting like it's a new problem, and it's not. Also, if you get a rootable device, you can do that on Android. I'd like it to be generally possible for everyone of course, but at least it's possible.
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Google has always had Microsoft envy, and in this case I would fully expect them to embrace Microsoft's incompatibility game to ensure that Firefox always has to play reverse engineering and catchup games to maintain compatibility with Google's embedding API. This is where regulators have to draw the line. And yes, Chrome should be forcibly divested from Google. But to who? That is the sticky question.
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It is indeed, look at how Firefox is going right now with this CEO mentality.
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Firefox has spent much of its life in the brink. And yet it is still my primary browser, for two main reasons: 1) Firefox handles large numbers of tabs far, far better than Chrome 2) Firefox is not owned by a gigantic, evil, avaricious insatiably ravenous soulless corporation. I know whereof I speak because I worked there.
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That's not new, though
Tagging on... trust making is not new. Bundling is not new.
Déjà vu! (Score:2)
I remember in 2013 when Andy Rubin took over both Android and ChromeOS businesses. We were certain that the two platforms would merge into one common one. Finally the issue of Binder and other weird Android-isms could be solved in the Linux kernel.
Google promised us that they would be separate but then there was often this hint that something would be merged between them.
Eventually some of the groups at Google got tired of this and made another kernel, Fuchsia, that was more embedded-friendly and less depen