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Google needs another shot at competing in the iPad segment and a hybrid platform could be worth trying.
The hybrid platform could be offered on laptops and tablets
Google plans to merge ChromeOS into Android, aiming to create a unified product capable of competing directly with the iPad.
The company offers different platforms for its devices. You have the ChromeOS for Chromebooks and Android for smartphones. However, tablets have uniquely featured both operating systems. According to a recent report, this dual approach may soon change.
The success of iPadOS is believed to have played a major role in influencing Google’s decision to redesign ChromeOS and merge it into Android. Future low-cost Google laptops are expected to run on Android, an operating system already powering a wide array of smart devices, including smartphones, smart TVs, automobiles, and XR (Extended Reality) smart glasses.
These details come via a report by Android Authority that described Google’s intentions to convert ChromeOS into Android, citing a source. According to the report, the tech giant is working on a multi-year initiative to create a hybrid platform to rival Apple’s iPadOS, which powers the iPad lineup.
Google plans to streamline its operating system efforts to optimise engineering resources and better compete with the iPad. Instead of merging ChromeOS and Android into a new platform, Google is rumoured to be transitioning ChromeOS entirely into Android.
This move is expected to expand the availability of Android apps and boost developer revenue by increasing the user base on the platform.The purported Pixel laptop, which is reportedly in development, will be among the first devices to run on this hybrid platform.
According to reports, this device was codenamed “Snowy” and has high-end internal components. Additionally, the company is reportedly working on several additional features to give Android users a desktop-like experience, such as improved support for keyboards and mice, support for multiple desktops and external monitors, and more.
The main focus of these efforts is the internal Android-on-laptop project, but there are also rumours that they will expand the capabilities of tablets, such as the purported Pixel Tablet 2, which is expected to have an upgraded Tensor chip, a better camera and a new keyboard cover accessory.