Being in last place is never fun. Over the years, Google has remained on the scene with its own tablets Android and Chromebook; However, always in the background compared to the big names in the sector.
But the company has an ace up its sleeve: merging its two platforms into something entirely new. calling him Aluminum OSand it will come sooner than you imagine.
What is Aluminum OS?
After the failed launch of the Pixel Slate back in 2018, which was Google’s first attempt at integrating ChromeOS and Android, curious people wondered what the future holds for these platforms. For years, reports of a new desktop operating system have revolved around mixing ChromeOS with Android.
At the Google I/O 2025 event, Google talked about improving the interoperability between ChromeOS and Android. Over the past decade, the Mountain View giant has taken small steps toward integrating the two operating systems, but it’s been gradual, starting with porting Android apps to Chromebooks and then with smaller features that make them feel like a single ecosystem of products. It’s not that different from Apple’s approach.
Until now, both companies have resisted the complete unification of mobile and desktop computers. At least the manufacturer from Cupertino refuses to merge macOS and iPadOS.
At the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit in September, Google confirmed that ChromeOS and Android would merge; head a equipment Google’s Rick Osterloh took the stage to share some details. He called the operating system “bringing Android to the PC market” and confirmed a partnership with Qualcomm for this new platform. It is a suitable partner given the expertise of the IC manufacturer smartphones, tablets in laptops. During the conference, Samir Samat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, said: “The company has always developed very different systems for PCs and phones. This new project brings them together on one platform.”
Google executives have confirmed that the project will launch sometime in 2026, and Google I/O 2026 seems like an obvious choice, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Photography: Luke Larsen
