In a bid to create an operating system that incorporates the best of Chrome and Android OS, Google’s foray into the desktop OS space is big news indeed
It’s been in the pipeline for close to three years now--a unified operating system from Google aimed at merging the functionality of Android and Chrome OS, aimed squarely at laptops and desktops. Recent murmurs indicate that the project is on track, where we are very likely to see a peek of it at Google’s upcoming 4 October device launch event.
The codename for this operating system is ‘Andromeda’, what could be construed as a stilted combination of Android and Chrome, with a da tacked on to pull it conveniently together. We also know that Google will be unveiling a family of devices codenamed ‘Pixel’ that will run Android 7.1 and this new operating system across the lineup of devices comprising smartphones and ultra-portable laptops. To say that this could be a momentous launch in the history of Android could be understating it, as evidenced with Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Android, Chrome OS & Play at Google, putting out this Tweet recently:
His saying that we’ll be talking of this day eight years from now is actually saying quite a lot.
The prospect of a Google experience on the desktop has always been intriguing. But interestingly such an offering has been around for a while, albeit one that aimed to only replicate the Android experience on the desktop: Remix OS. This is an Android port developed by a group of three ex-Google engineers with the aim of extending the popular mobile OS into more than just mobile platforms. It is free to use, where you can download the OS image and simply install it on a PC or laptop. Being Android-based, it has access to the entire gamut of Google Play apps, and it also does multi-window multitasking, has a full-fledged file manager, and works off the bat with a regular keyboard and mouse, just like any other desktop OS should.
With Andromeda coming up, it’s going to be interesting to see how much of a desktop ‘feel’ this new Android/Chrome based operating system will offer, and especially if it will be able to funnel some of the best parts of the mobile experience onto the desktop.
From what we know, the first device slated to run this new OS is codenamed ‘Bison’, and is most likely going to be the Pixel 3 laptop. According to Android Police, this device could be based on an Intel m3 or i5 Core processor with 32 or 128 GB of storage and 8 or 16 GB of RAM. It is also slated to have a fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers, quad microphones, a backlit keyboard, and a glass trackpad. The device itself is expected to be available in multiple configurations across price points.
Either way with Google throwing their hat into the desktop operating ring, things are about to get a lot more interesting.
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 "Made By Google event | Andromeda | Pixel")
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