According to multiple reports in the past 2 years, Google has been trying to integrate Chrome OS into Android OS to form one common OS. This will not kill Android OS completely, instead it will allow tablets and laptops to run on Android OS.
The reports seem to have become clearer and stronger in evidence as the leaks suggest that Google will launch the new OS, named Andromeda, after a galaxy in our universe and from the word Android, with the Pixel 3 tablet from Huawei. Unfortunately, Pixel 3 has been scheduled to launch in Q3 2017, so users will have to wait a year to test the OS.
Since the ability to run Andromeda will be incorporated in Pixel 3, internally codenamed ‘Bison’, the laptop will feature a mixture of the two operating systems and will also allow Android apps to run efficiently on the Pixel series. The device is expected to be launched soon and the OS will remind users of Android, more than Chrome OS.
Expected specifications of the Pixel 3 Laptop –
- 12.3″ full HD display along with a detachable keyboard like the iPad, however it is quite possible that it comes with a keyboard that can bend to form different stands and shapes
- Intel i3 or i5 processors, which should be able to support the power-hungry Andromeda OS
- 4GB/8GB and 16GB RAM options, considering even Android smartphones these days have started sporting 6GB RAM
- 128GB/256GB hard drive
- USB type-C ports, regular USB ports, HDMI port, Bluetooth, Sensors
- Front-facing camera for video chats, a secondary camera would be a nice addition
- At least a 10,000mAh battery to last 10-15 hours of usage
Google might want to take cues from HP Spectre, Xiaomi Mi Notebook and Apple Macbook to develop a super-thin laptop with high-end specifications. However, Chrome books came with decent specs and our hopes from Pixel 3 are not very much in this respect.
However, Google seems to be pushing away from Chromebooks and venturing into the territory of Macbooks, so this device could feature some great hardware for a good price. Nevertheless, the Android experience on a laptop will be the heart of the system and probably the USP of the device.
Whether or not this project sees the light of the day is entirely upto Google, as Google Ara and Google Glass both died a slow untimely death. However, a new OS for laptops from Google has always been on the cards and we might see a running version in the coming months before the actual debut in 2017.
Source: Ars Technica
