Google’s two operating systems could soon be one. It’s said to be in the process of combining Chrome OS and Android, according to The Wall Street Journal, and the combined OS could be revealed as soon as next year.
The Journal reports that Chrome is essentially being folded into Android, because Android has emerged as the dominant operating system by quite a long stretch. Combining the two operating systems means setting up Android to run on laptops and desktop computers, which would require big changes, as well as supporting the Google Play Store. Chromebooks will reportedly receive a new name to reflect the new OS.
The new operating system is expected to be ready sometime in 2017, though a preview is expected to come sooner; it’s reportedly been in the works for two years. While this would be a major and somewhat surprising move — Chromebooks have been fairly successful and are a great low-cost computer option — it’s easy to see how Google got here. Sundar Pichai, who’s now leading Google, was put in charge of both Chrome and Android two years ago, and he’s made moves to bring the two operating systems closer in that time. That includes adding support for Android apps inside of Chrome OS. Though support is still limited, some Android apps are up and running on Chromebooks. Now, it seems like that’s just an early sign of what’s to come. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Written by Jacob Kastrenakes of The Verge
(Source: The Verge)
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