With Windows 8, Microsoft famously began to consolidate its mobile and desktop OSes. A new report suggests that Google may soon follow suit.
The company has reportedly been working on making a convergence of Chrome OS and Android a reality for the past 2 years, despite denying the same in early 2013. Google has, however, made certain inroads in the direction already, bringing a selection of Android apps to Chrome OS and the promise of a more expansive list to follow. With this merger, though, an Android-Chrome powered PC could benefit from the over 1 million apps currently found in the Play Store, significantly strengthening the platform and making it a much more lucrative proposition than Chromebooks in their current state.
Android and Chrome OS represent two very distinct approaches for Google. While Chrome OS is almost entirely web-centric, Android is supported by an expansive list of local apps. If true, this merger would represent Google finally acknowledging that the "Chrome way" is not the best way.
Such a union wil also immensely benefit devices like Google"s recently minted Pixel C tablet, which comes with an optional (and detachable) keyboard. The end vision, with a Android-Chrome OS hybrid OS powering a future iteration of the Pixel C could very well serve as Google"s definitive answer to Microosft"s increasingly popular Surface line.
The change might also be accompanied by a rebranding of Chromebooks. The company"s popular browser will retain the name "Chrome".
Excited about the development? You might have to wait a while, as the union of Google"s two OSes isn"t supposed to take place till well into 2017. If you just can"t wait, there may also be a early preview next year.
Source: The Wall Street Journal