One OS To Master Everything, Google's Big Plan For Android

Rumors of Android and Chrome OS unification have circulated (photo: x @DHesselmans)

Rumors about Android and Chrome OS unification have been circulating among the tech industry for some time. A report in November last year mentioned that this merger would occur.

However, what was originally just a rumor, has now been confirmed directly by a Google executive earlier this week. Although specific details about the merger were not shared, the executive told TechRadar that Google "will merge Chrome OS and Android into one platform."

This information, as can be imagined, has attracted a lot of attention. Although the details of the project are still minimal from the company, a report from last year revealed one important detail: it looks like Chrome OS will join the Android instead of the other way around. In other words, Android will remain dominant and adopt a number of features from Chrome OS. This indicates Google's goal of making Android the center of everything, a step worth discussing further.

As individuals who have long used these two operating systems Android as a mobile OS option since 2010 (started with the Samsung I5500 Galaxy 5) and Chrome OS as the main work equipment for years (both laptops and Chromebox) "The combination of the two sounds very interesting, provided the implementation is carried out appropriately.

Chrome OS is known as a solid desktop operating system, despite having some limitations over Windows and macOS. Originally designed as a cloud-dependent OS, Chrome OS initially lacked basic features. However, Google is gradually adding more features over time. The addition of Android app support is also increasing its appeal, and the implementation which was initially not perfectly fixed by Google.

The popularity of Chrome OS has never reached the level of Windows or macOS, but it is well received in several segments. The field of education is often the main example, given the many initiatives to use it by students, especially in the United States. If Google manages to make this merger right, the company's combination of cellular and desktop OS has the potential to be a winning formula. Initial benefits are already visible, although details of Google's implementation are still unclear.

While Google has yet to provide an estimate of when this integration will take place, the public shouldn't expect it to be completed by the end of this year or in the near future. A source speaking to the Android Authority in November last year revealed that Google was working on a "multi-year project to completely turn Chrome OS into Android."

This statement also confirms that Chrome OS will merge into Android. Regarding the finish line of this project, for now, it is still a puzzle. The phrase "multi-year project" indicates that this process may take several years.

For many people, Android is synonymous with smartphones, and that's normal. However, Android OS is much wider than that. Android is an operating system designed for smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, cars, TVs, and in the near future also Extended Reality (XR) glasses. Thus, Android has become an operating system that runs on various different devices that people use every day.

On the other hand, Chrome OS is primarily designed for laptops. Although there are several Chromeboxes, the number is very small compared to Chromebooks. Many of these Chrome OS laptops are equipped with touchscreens, which theoretically allow use of them as OS tablets, but Android is clearly superior in those functions. Chrome OS integration to Android is likely to give Android a further advantage in the laptop world, adding new "ammunitions" to its arsenal.

One of the significant benefits of this merger is more efficient development. After Google combines Android and Chrome OS, the company only needs to develop one platform, not two. Integrated engineering lines will enable better feature integration, as Google does not need to develop it for different operating systems. This will likely also accelerate the development process of these features.

In a report last year, it was also mentioned that "the end result could be a platform that eventually beat the iPad." This statement hints that Google may be aiming for iPadOS more as a major competitor, not Windows or macOS.

Many people have switched to using the iPad as their main work device, as the iPadOS is considered an excellent platform to do a bigger screen job, without the need for a laptop. Many Chrome OS features will certainly be very profitable for Android as a whole.

Having one ecosystem offers a number of benefits to users. Unbounded access to features designed for smartphones, tablets, and desktop usage on a single platform makes OS very easy to use and smooth. However, it is important to note that this success relies heavily on the right implementation to really benefit users.

Chrome OS is widely known for its generally strong automatic and security updates. Google has been promoting this as one of the main features of the platform from the start. It remains to be seen how this security aspect will be integrated into Android, given the slightly different way Android works in terms of security and system updates in general. Regular updates are also available on Android, but the implementation is different.

Google has tested Android desktop modes, including Windowsing tools and Linux terminal support. Android 16 desktop mode has been shown in its action, and this latest version of Android will offer the feature to Pixel users. It remains to be seen how other Android OS iterations (Android variants from other manufacturers) will use them, but this feature will be available on Pixel.

Through this move, Google offers a direct competitor to Samsung DeX, which also leads to the integration of Chrome OS. This will allow Google to build on these initial steps.

Exclusive information also shows that the new Pixel Laptop prototype is under construction, and this device will run Android instead of Chrome OS. This information now makes sense, given the upcoming integration.

It should also be noted that the Chromebook release cycle is no longer as dense as it used to be; Google has slowed it down by 2025. This is another hint that Google is working on something bigger, and can now safely assume that it is integration with Android.

Basically, the whole goal of all of this is to have one OS in control of everything. Based on everything that has been seen so far, that's what Google is targeting.