Chrome OS will join Android in a couple of years

According to informed sources at Alphabet Inc, who shared this information with the Wall Street Journal , Google plans to gradually phase out the independent development of Chrome OS and include all the developments in the next version of the Android mobile OS. The new combined OS will be released in 2017.

Two unnamed company employees say the merger has been planned for a long time, and the Chrome OS development team has been working on this event for two years now. A preliminary version of the integrated system may be released next year.

Android is currently the most popular operating system for mobile devices. Google has developed two distinct areas of embedded OS. Chrome OS has promoted the use of browser-based applications using low-cost, low-power laptops. In Android, applications for use must be downloaded to the device (approximately in the same way that desktop OSes work).


The market share of various mobile OSs for September 2015 / netmarketshare.com An

obvious advantage of Android prompted Google to turn off Chrome OS development - statistics on the use of this OS are even hard to find , developers were not eager to make many different applications for this OS, and there were sales of “chromobooks” in the store Amazon barely reach 5%of the total number of laptops.

Apparently, the integrated version of Android will reach Chromebooks in particular and desktop computers in general, significantly increasing its audience and Google’s profit - through the purchase of applications in the App Store.

The same unknown sources added that chromobooks will change their name to a new one, while not yet approved, and the Chrome browser will retain its name. At the same time, Chrome OS will not be closed immediately - manufacturers will be able to use it for installation on laptops, and the development team will carry out its further support. But the advantage will be Android, which will be promoted for use on laptops.

Experts who commented on this news express concern about the difficulties that developers who cross mobile and desktop OSes may encounter. The presence of laptop keyboards, a large screen and the habit of their users to multi-window interfaces come into some conflict with the policies of Android. This OS, although multitasking, does not support displaying multiple windows on the screen at the same time.